Five-Hundred-Thousand
by LJwood97
Summary: Ana and Jose are newly married. They own their own hardware store and are struggling with money. What happens when Christian Grey shows up with a proposition for Ana. He wants one night with her, for five-hundred-thousand-dollars. Will she take it? Read and find out more! INCOMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to my new FF!**

 **Warning: In this story Ana is married to Jose. This story will also involve an affair. If you're not interested in that kind of thing then turn away now. You have been warned.**

Chapter 1

* * *

A shiver ran down my spine as I held my mug close to me for warmth. It was freezing in this store and the air-con had once again broke. Jose was always fixing that thing, and it always broke. The logical thing to do would be to invest in a new one, and we would if we had the money. Right now all our money was going to this damm hardware store and trying to keep it afloat.

It was early in the evening, and like most Seattle days, it was raining. At six I would close the store and head home. I was excited to put on warm PJ's, snuggle up under a blanket, and read my new book. I was watching the clock on the wall like a hawk, just waiting for the moment the small hand reached the six. I couldn't wait to get out of here and go home.

I had half an hour left and no customers to serve. It was dead in the store. Jose insisted that we keep it open from six in the morning to six at night. He covered the morning shift and I covered the evening shift. Our lives were dedicated to this place, and they had been for the past two years. At twenty-three my life was nothing like I ever pictured it would be. I am married to the man I dated in college. I have my own house in the suburbs. I own my own business. I work in a Hardware store. At twenty, I would've laughed if you told me that this was what my life would become.

I thought that by age twenty-three I would be working my way up the ranks in a publishing house. I might even be an editor, or the boss of a publishing house. I thought I would've been able to see more of the world. I thought that Jose and I would have an apartment in the city. We would go out with friends every Friday night, and be twenty-three year olds.

But, this was my life.

I glance back up to the clock on the wall and see I still have twenty-five minutes before closing time. As I am watching the clock, the light above me begins to flicker. "No, no, no!" We can't have another thing break. This place was completely falling apart. The light flickers one more time before leaving me in shadows "Great…"

With an annoyed sigh I put my mug on the wooden bench and jump down from the stool. I know that Jose keeps spare light bulbs in one of the boxes under the counter. The lights in this place had a tendency to blow at random times. I bend down until my knees are on the ground and search for a spare lightbulb. I should be able to go into isle three and take a lightbulb from one of the packages. We are in a hardware store after all. Jose would get angry though, he doesn't think that we should waste a single cent. He even had me couponing when we did our grocery shopping. It was mortifying to hand over the coupons to the judgemental cashier. It was like screaming to the world that we were poor.

As I searched on my hands and knees, I didn't hear the door to the store open. It wasn't until someone behind me cleared their throat that I realized someone had entered the store. I quickly jumped up "Shit – Fuck!" I banged my head on the top of the counter, sending my mug of tea flying across the wooden bench. "Oh fuck!"

I rubbed my now sore head and turned to the customer who had heard my swear words tirade. _Whoa._ This man was attractive. Not just any kind of attractive, but god-like. He looked as if he were a statue carved by Michelangelo himself. With dark copper hair that looked as if he had been running his hands through it. A tall, lean body, that looked as if he worked out…a lot. He looked like the type of man that would take no notice to me when walking down the street. He stood there in damp jeans, a dark shirt that was sticking to him, and a leather jacket. He raised one single dark eyebrow at me. He knows that I am staring. _Say something, Ana. Anything! The longer that you don't talk the, weirder he'll think you are!_ "I was looking for a lightbulb…"

 _Real smooth, Ana._

I clear my throat and try to compose myself after that embarrassing incident. I was always embarrassing myself around guys. No wonder I have only ever had one boyfriend my whole life, and I ended up marrying him. "What can I help you with?"

"Rope"

It sounded urgent. "Okay, this way, on isle four – No, isle two. Sorry, I am still learning my way around here"

He doesn't follow me. Instead he points to the spill on the table "Shouldn't you clean that up?"

"It's fine" I shrug my shoulders.

"Wouldn't your boss be mad if he sees that you've made a mess?"

He sounded as if he were my boss. I shake my head "No, I own this store. Do you want me to show you to the rope or not?"

With a smirk he motions for me to show him the way. I step forward first and lead him to isle two where we kept the rope. I watch as his grey eyes search the shelves. Those eyes were unlike anything I had ever seen before. I couldn't look away from them.

Once he decided on rope he turned to me again "Duct-tape"

"Duct-tape? Rope? What are you? Some kind of serial killer…" He didn't find my joke amusing at all. He obviously had no sense of humour. Okay, Mr. Serious and Sexy. "This way" I lead him to isle five where the duct tape was kept. On the way I turned to him and asked "So are you renovating or something?"

"Or something"

"Not much of a talker, are you?"

He answered my question with silence. I didn't like silence, I felt as if I needed to fill the void with conversation to make things less awkward. Really, it just made things worst. I should really shut up sometimes. I stopped in front of the duct tape on isle five and pointed out all the different kinds of tape that we had "We have three inch, four inch, two inch. What're you looking for?"

"Which one would you suggest?"

I hadn't been asked that before. I was unsure of what to say. I looked over the different tapes "Ahh, I guess the two inch"

"But that one is the cheapest one?" He looked amused. "Shouldn't you be trying to sell me the more expensive item?" Jose was right, I suck at this job. I am meant to be the one running this business, but this man seems to know how to do my job better than I do! I didn't go to college for four years to sell duct tape to sexy strangers. "You haven't been in retail long, have you Ana?"

How does he know my name? He nods down to my shirt and I look down to the name tag pinned onto it. Oh… "No, I haven't worked long in retail. My husband and I recently took over as owners of the store…and as you can see, it has seen better days"

"Husband?"

I nod my head slowly "Yes, that is what I said"

"Three inch will be fine" It was like something snapped inside him. He grabbed a three inch tape off the shelf and began to walk towards the front of the store. _What just happened?_ Was he mad that I had a husband? No, he wouldn't care about that. He probably has somewhere to be. He looks like he has an important job in the city. He probably has a wife at home and two perfect children. I follow him to the front of the store and begin to ring up his items.

"Have a nice night" I say as I hand him his plastic bag with rope and duct-tape inside "Good luck with…whatever it is that you're doing…"

Mr. Sexy and Serious didn't look back to me as he stormed out of the store.

* * *

Like every morning in the Rodriguez household, Jose was up at the crack of dawn to open the store. He left me to sleep in. It was hardly a sleep in when I was awake at seven because the neighbours decided to mow their lawns. I had chores to get done anyway. Most of it was simple chores like laundry or vacuuming, that Jose left for me to do. We each had our roles in the house. We had an order to the way that we did things and to who did what. It worked for us.

At nine I went into the store to give Jose a hand. When I walked in I saw him on the step ladder screwing in a new lightbulb. He glanced down to me "Why didn't you tell me the light had blown?"

"I didn't have the chance. You spent last night studying"

Recently Jose had enrolled in an online business course to help him when it came to running the store. Neither of us had a clue what we were doing when it came to this place. I had to admire Jose for the way that he took over things after Jose Sr, died. None of this was easy on him either. Jose's father was never sick, he was a healthy man who was loved by the locals. He was always talking about how he looked forward to the day Jose and I got married. He always said that I would be the one to give him grandchildren. Every Sunday he and my father would watch the football, Jose and I would sometimes join them. So, it was a shock two years ago when I woke up in the middle of the night to Jose at my door crying. He told me that his father had been making a delivery on the wet roads when his truck spun out of control and crashed into another car. Jose Sr. died on the scene. The passengers in the other car walked away with minor injuries.

Just like that, Jose Sr. was gone. I had never lost someone before, so it was hard for me to understand how someone could be here one minute, and then gone the next.

He left Jose with a home and a hardware store. Since his father's death, Jose had taken responsibility for his father's assets. We lived in his old house. We ran his old hardware store. Jose was slowly becoming his father, and I wasn't sure if that was a good thing.

"I also didn't have the chance to tell you about last night, I had the strangest customer. He came in here and asked for Rope and Duct Tape. He was really quiet as well. He barely said anything. Does that sound creepy to you?" I was going to leave out the part about him being, god-like, sexy. I don't think Jose would appreciate that. I look up to my husband who was still trying to screw the new lightbulb in place "Jose?"

"What? – Sorry, Ana. I am just trying to focus on doing this" He says with a frustrated sigh "Can you set up the garden display outside?"

We put a garden display at the front of the store to try and persuade customers to shop here instead of the mammoth sized Home Depot across the road. It was a brand new store that was erected about four years ago. Of course customers are going to shop there instead of our tiny store across the road. I was grateful that we had loyal customers who were friends with Jose Sr. before he passed. They always insisted on shopping here and helping Jose and I out.

As I am moving the third of the heavy pots outside A car pulls into the car-lot. It was a nice looking car, it looked like an Audi to me. As I was admiring the car, I noticed the back door open, and out stepped Mr. Serious and Sexy. He was in a well fitted suit and his dark copper hair was slicked back in a neat style. His grey eyes spotted me right away and he made his way towards me.

 _What is he doing back here?_

"Mrs. Rodriguez"

"How do you know my name?" This man was seriously creepy. "Are you stalking me or something?"

"No" He rolls his eyes. He looked annoyed with me. "The name of the store is Rodriguez hardware. It doesn't take a genius to do a quick google search and find out more about you. Mrs. Rodriguez, my name is Christian Grey. I am a very influential, powerful man and I have the power to help you and your husband with your financial issues"

I cross my arms against my chest "What makes you think we have financial issues?"

He smirks "I had my security do a background check on you"

"So you are stalking me!"

 _This man is insane!_ He is in a whole other league of his own. He stalked a woman that he met once last night while buying _rope_ and _duct-tape_. My alarm bells were screaming at me that this man was crazy. I should have no business with someone like him. "Thank you, Mr. Grey, but my husband and I are fine" I go to turn away from him but he quickly grabs my bicep.

" _Wait!"_ He says. I turn to look back into his grey eyes. He no longer had that bored, annoyed, impatient look in his eyes. He looked desperate. "I am willing to help you and your husband out" He reaches into the pocket of his suit and pulls out a white cheque. He hands it to me. I wasn't sure if I wanted to see what was written on it. I should just walk away from him. But, curiosity got the better of me and I turned the thin paper over in my hands, My eyes almost fell out of my skull when I saw the amount written on the cheque.

 ** _Five-hundred-thousand-dollars._**

"That money can be yours, Anastasia. Don't let your pride get in the way"

This man was definitely insane. He was willing to hand that amount of money over to a woman that he barely knew. Actually, he didn't know me at all. We had one brief conversation, that lasted five minutes, and now he wanted to give me five-hundred-thousand-dollars. He must have more money than sense. I cant think of any reason in which I would hand this amount of money over to a stranger.

I look up into him and can't help but start laughing at how absurd this situation is "You want to give someone you barely know five-hundred-thousand-dollars?"

"It wouldn't be for free" He tells me. His voice was tight. I don't think he appreciated me laughing at him. Surely, he knew how crazy this was. "I would need something from you in return"

"And what would that be?"

"You"

This was getting crazier by the second. He wants _me_ for five-hundred-thousand-dollars. What did he want from me? If he thinks that I am going to sleep with him for money, he is kidding himself. I don't care how attractive he is. I am not going to whore myself out to a man with a big wallet. We were poor, but we're not _that_ poor.

"I need a date to an event that I am expected to be at" He explains in a business-like voice. "If I could, I wouldn't go, but I have already agreed to attend this event. I need a date to attend it with me-"

I try to hand the cheque back to him, but he refuses to take it. "I am married, Mr. Grey! I am not going on a date with you"

He looks as if he is becoming more and more frustrated with me "It wouldn't be a romantic date. It would simply be business. You would be hired for a job for the night and you would be paid accordingly for it" I didn't know what to say. What is the appropriate response to such an absurd request "I have no interest in ruining your marriage, Anastasia"

"Then what would this date include?"

"You would show up on my arm. You would smile, look pretty, then go home. Think of it like being an escort"

"If you want an escort then why not hire one?" I ask him "Why do you want me?"

"Because, I need a normal girl. I am sure there will be many escorts working the night of the party. I don't want people whispering saying that I showed up with one. It isn't good for my company image, nor is it good for my image. I need a normal girl, like you"

What would Jose think of this? Five-hundred-thousand-dollars was so much money. We could do so much with that amount of money. We could sell the store, buy an apartment in the city, and start our life again. We could have a family. We could travel the world like we always wanted. Jose could get back into photography and open his own gallery, like he always wanted. There was so much that five-hundred-thousand would allow us to do. All I would have to do is be this man's date for _one_ night.

But, this man is crazy. Yes, he is sexy, but I don't know if I trust him. This feels wrong. It feels as if I am whore-ing myself out. I doubt Jose would approve of me going on a date with another man, even if it was just business! Jose and I could work out another way to make money, a way that wouldn't ruin our marriage. He had almost finished his online course, and once he had completed that, then things would change for us. I could get a second job, I know the café in town is always hiring around the summertime. There are other ways for us to make money...

But, five-hundred-thousand-dollars was so much. We would never have the chance to make that kind of money again...

"Do we have a deal, Anastasia?"

* * *

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 **Let me know what you think of the story!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favourited, and followed! Your support encourages me to keep writing!**

 **A few of you mentioned that this story is similar to a movie Indecent proposal. I had never heard of it before. Hopefully this story wont be too similar!**

 **This story will involve a HEA. I don't want to spoil the story for those who want the HEA to remain a mystery. So, if the majority of you want to know if the HEA is between A &C or A&J then I will reveal in the next chapter. **

Chapter 2

* * *

I stare at the white box sitting on top of the bed. I was almost too scared to open it and see what he had sent me. I still couldn't believe that I was going to do this. I couldn't shake the guilty, dirty feeling that I was experiencing. Yes, Jose and I needed the money, but surely there was other ways for us to get that money. Ways that didn't involve pimping me out to a rich, crazy, man. Jose insisted that this was a good idea, he was actually the one to convince me to agree to this. His reaction to the proposition shocked and surprised me.

I told Christian no at first. He didn't want to take no for an answer, he tried to convince me otherwise. He even offered to raise the amount offered, but I couldn't agree to be his date. "I am sorry, Mr. Grey, but this is insane"

"Anastasia, would you just think about this for a moment" He says "It is just business. I told you that I have no interest in ruining your marriage and I mean it" He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a business card that he handed to me "Talk about it with your husband. Call that number if you change your mind, my assistant will arrange everything"

He left in his tinted, black, Audi. I was more confused than ever. I had no idea how I was meant to react to what just happened. How would Jose react? He wouldn't be happy about it, he would be furious that a man offered to take me on a date, even if that date was strictly business.

I walked inside the store to see that Jose had been watching us. He was leaning against the step ladder watching from the window. "Who was that?"

I wasn't sure whether I should tell Jose what just happened. I decided that I couldn't keep things from him. He would probably find it funny if anything. So, I told him what just happened. I tried to make it seem like a casual, funny, thing. Jose didn't take it like that at all, he was amazed by it.

" _Are you serious, Ana?"_ He stepped forward. His dark eyes were wide as he looked at me. "This is great!" _What?_ "Oh my god, this changes everything! Tell me you said yes. You said yes, didn't you?"

I was speechless "I…I didn't think you'd be this excited about it!"

"Ana, five-hundred-thousand-dollars is so much money. We could do so much with that amount. We wouldn't have to worry about the store. We could…we could start a family like we always talked about!" He was the happiest that I had ever seen him. Would every husband be this happy about their wife going out with another man? This was so strange.

He quickly wrapped his arms around me and lifted me up off the ground. I let out a squeal as he embraced me in a tight bear-hug. "This is going to change so much for us, Ana. You need to call Grey back, right now, and arrange this"

I didn't understand how he could be so happy about it. I think that he is more excited about it than I am. To him, this was an amazing opportunity. He wasn't jealous at all. Secretly, I would like it if he were just a little bit jealous, or even uncomfortable. That meant he cared. Instead, he was happy for me to go off and be a rich man's escort. I was starting to feel less and less like his wife, and more like his roommate.

I called the number that Christian Grey left me. His assistant answered and I left a message agreeing to go with him on Friday night. The following morning I woke up with this crisp, white, box sitting on the front step of our house. I carried it inside and into the bedroom with Jose close behind me. He followed me through our small house like a little puppy.

"Is that from Grey?"

"Yep"

"He works quickly"

I set it down onto the bed and lifted the lid of the box. I saw a square note sitting on top of purple tissue paper. On the note was _Grey Enterprise Holdings._ It was all very clean and professional looking. What more could I expect from Mr. Serious and Sexy. I opened the note and saw neat handwriting inside.

 _Anastasia, I hope this dress is a fit on you. I also sent suitable shoes for the night. Please make sure you look presentable as you will be representing me. I will send a car to pick you up Friday at 3:00pm, make sure you are ready and waiting at your home. You will be taken to a hotel in Seattle to prepare for the night. I will pick you up at 7:00pm to take you to the event. If you have any further questions then call my office._

 _Christian._

Was he this formal all the time?

I push past the purple tissue paper and see the dress he had sent for me. It was nothing that I would have ever chosen for myself. It was a beautiful blue, strapless gown, with black trim detail around the waist. It was minimalistic and very slimming. I put the dress aside and see the black heels he had sent with the dress. He also sent a clutch. I hope he didn't spend too much money on me…

I feel hands on my shoulder, they make me jump. I look over my shoulder to Jose "Is this the dress?"

He didn't sound like he approved. Did he think it was too revealing? I step out of his hands and turn to face him. "Yeah…do you like it?"

He looks it over with a strange look on his face "It's so…boring"

I roll my eyes "Minimalistic" I correct him as I walk to the wardrobe to look for a coat hanger. "It's meant to look that way"

Jose doesn't get it. He shakes his head "What's the fun in that? If I were Grey I'd be putting you in something super tight and short" He smiles to me. I must've made a face because he just laughed "He is paying five-hundred-thousand for a night with you, Ana. He might as well get his money's worth out of it"

That didn't make me feel any less dirty about this. What was I meant to tell my father when he asked where our new found wealth came from? Was I going to tell him that I was an escort for a night, and that my husband seemed completely okay with it. He was more than okay with it, he was actually encouraging me. I am sure that if Jose could get away with it, he'd put on a wig and a dress, and go to this event as Christian Grey's date.

"This isn't meant to be a fun night, Jose" I explain as I hang my dress in the wardrobe. It stood out against the grey, white, and black clothes "Are you sure that you're okay with me doing this? I still have time to cancel if you want me to"

With an annoyed eye roll and a frustrated sigh, he said "Yes, I want you to go! How many times do I have to tell you?" He steps forward placing his hands on my waist "You said it yourself, Ana, this is strictly business" He kisses my cheek before stepping away and walking towards the door

"I trust you, Ana"

I did not feel good about this.

* * *

The week seemed to go faster than others, maybe that was because I was dreading going out on Friday night. The night prior I barely got any sleep. In fact, I was tossing and turning all night until I took one of Jose's sleeping pills that he kept in the bathroom. The anxiety for Friday night was beginning to make me feel sick. I had to remind myself that my husband didn't care that I was going out with another man, so why should I?

Well, I was worried because that man was Christian Grey. He was intense, sexy, dominating. He looked like the kind of man that could have any woman that he dreamed of, yet he still wanted me. Not only did he want me, but he wanted to PAY for me. I didn't know much about him, I didn't know what to expect from him. He says he doesn't want to ruin my marriage, but can I trust him? I don't know, because I have barely had a five minute conversation with him!

By the time Friday came, I had chewed off all my nails from anxiety. I decided to spend the day at home to mentally prepare myself for what was about to happen. Jose went into work and was going to work late in the store. I was grateful he wasn't here. I think that would be too awkward for him to watch me leave for the "date".

The only way that I was going to relax for tonight was if I had a large glass of wine. So, that was what I did. I treated myself to using the nice glasses that my mother brought us for a wedding present. I poured myself a glass of our ten-dollar boxed wine. I put on some _Adele_. I relaxed in the bath tub for half an hour and tried to not think about Christian Grey…which was a hard thing to do.

At 3:00pm on the dot, a dark SUV pulled up outside my small home. I carried my overnight bag out, my dress was on the hanger, thrown over my shoulder. As I walked out the front door, I noticed my eighty year old neighbour across the road watching me. I smiled to Patsy as she watered her perfect garden. She quickly turned away and pretended that she hadn't been staring. What will the neighbours think if they find out?

"Mrs Rodriguez-"

"Ana is fine" I quickly tell the man who was opening the door to the back seat. He was a burly, broad, man with baby-blue eyes and light, shaven, hair.

"My name is Luke Sawyer, Ma'am. I will be driving you tonight. Here, let me take your things for you"

"Oh…Thankyou" I hand my bag and then my dress to the man. I awkwardly climb into the tall SUV. The seats were a soft leather. There was a champagne bottle in the arm rest, with a name that I couldn't pronounce. There was a privacy screen separating the front and the back of the car. This looked like something the President would drive around in. _He must be stupidly rich._

The car ride into downtown Seattle was quiet because of the privacy screen separating me from Luke Sawyer. I was left to worry even more, and I had no more nails left to chew. _What if he tries to hit on me? What if I drink too much and embarrass him? What if I do something stupid? What if everyone finds out I am married and starts calling me a slut?_ There was a constant stream of worried, anxious, thoughts running through my mind. The hotel that I was taken to was one that I had heard of before. It was _The Fairmont_. I was shown to my room by the hotel staff, and Luke Sawyer was close behind with my things. He dropped off my bags and informed me that Mr. Grey would be here at 7:00 pm. Then I was left to myself in this big, hotel, suite. There was a selection of foods laid out for me on the dining table. There was also a note.

 _Anastasia, I have a tab here at The Fairmont. Any expenses will be paid by me. You may order room service for yourself or take anything out of the mini-fridge. I will be meeting you at 7:00pm._

 _Christian._

I now understood why he had such a hard time finding a date for tonight. He was too serious!

I began to get ready for tonight in the bathroom. I started with my make-up, which consisted of two looks; casual, or fancy. I was never one of those girls who could transform their face with make-up. My college roommate had been good at that sort of thing. She actually taught me how to contour my cheekbones and give myself a smokey eye. That was what I was doing tonight. I wanted to be presentable and look as if I belonged in the elite Seattle crowd. I paired my contoured cheeks, and smoking eyes, with a light lip. After finishing my make up, I did a once over in the mirror and was shocked by my appearance. I didn't recognize myself.

 _I looked…fierce._

After finishing my make-up, I moved onto my hair. That was the difficult part. I wasn't sure on whether I should curl my dark, chestnut, waves, or if I should straighten them. I decided on the latter. I straightened it until it was sleek and running down my back. I had almost forgotten how long it was, and how badly it needed to be cut.

The final step was putting on my dress. It wasn't as tight as I thought it was going to be. Surprisingly, it was a comfortable fit. I sat down on the bed and put on my dark heels that would match the black detail on the dress. I walked over to the full length mirror in the bathroom and looked myself over. It had been a long time since I had dressed up. Tonight, I felt sexy in this dress. I felt as if I looked presentable enough to be on the arm of a man like Christian Grey.

At 7:00 pm I got the call from front desk that he was waiting in the lobby. I grabbed my clutch, I took a deep breath, and then I walked out to go greet my date.

* * *

Christian Grey watched the elevator doors like a hawk. He would be furious if she was late. He gave very specific instructions on when he would be here to pick her up, so she had no excuse to be late. He watched as the double doors of the elevator opened, an older couple stepped out. They spotted Christian starring at them and smiled his way. He glanced down to his watch again and saw the time. It was only 6:59. Anastasia still had time. He shouldn't be so harsh on her. She isn't his sub, she is just…a girl.

He had no idea what he was doing. He had never taken a date to an event. He never paid for the company of a woman. This was new to him. Anastasia had done something to him, and he wasn't sure how to fix it. She made him loose control and she made him easily distracted. He couldn't think about another woman. He tried to do a scene with a sub, but the whole time he was focused on what it would be like to have Anastasia Rodriguez tied up and at his will.

It wasn't like she was extraordinarily beautiful. She actually dressed like a forty year old librarian. She wore bland, loose fitting, clothes that looked like they were a decade old. Her hair looked as if hadn't been styled in months. She had been wearing it in a messy ponytail off her face when Christian met her. She wasn't a woman that Christian would stop and take notice of if he passed her on the street.

So, imagine his surprise when the elevator doors opened again and out stepped a goddess of a woman. He had to do a double take to make sure that who he was seeing was in fact Anastasia Rodriguez. The blue of her dress was making the blue in her eyes pop. The detailed black trim around her waist was showing off the figure that she hid under ill-fitting clothes. Her hair was now out of that messy ponytail and styled down her back. He could imagine himself wrapping her long hair around his wrist…

He had been wrong, she was extraordinarily beautiful.

 _She is also married, Christian._

"Mr. Grey"

"Anastasia, you look very beautiful. I like that dress on you" Compliments were a new thing to Christian. "Your husband is a lucky man" Anastasia smiles, it was a shy smile that she tried to hide by looking away from him. "We should go" He extended his arm to her and she reached out to wrap her hand around his bicep.

They left the hotel together. He kept glancing down to Anastasia. She looked nervous and he wondered if that had to do with tonight, or if that had to do with his presence. He had to assume that it was the former. He couldn't let himself think of her in that way.

His head of security was waiting by the SUV "Mr. Grey"

"Taylor. Mrs. Rodriguez, this is Jason Taylor. He will be our driver tonight" Christian nods to the man. He motions for Anastasia to enter the SUV next. She struggles to get in with her dress.

He had to keep reminding himself that he made a deal with Anastasia. He wouldn't ruin her marriage. He was trying his hardest to keep his gaze straight and not focus on the smell of her dark hair, or the feel of her body beside his. She was only here for the money, and nothing else. After tonight she would go home to her husband, and then move on with her life. He would need to talk to Elena tonight and arrange for her to find him a new submissive. He couldn't go on with this stupid, play-ground, _crush_ he has on a married woman.

 _Nothing will ever happen between you, Christian. She is married._

* * *

 ** _What do you think will happen at the party? ;)_**

 ** _Remember to review and let me know what you think so far! Also, if you want me to reveal who the HEA is with._**

 ** _The dress in this chapter was inspired by "Emilia Clarke in Victoria Beckham"_**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed. It really helps.**

 **I am so happy that so many of you are trying to figure out what is going to happen next. It is really fun to read. A few of you have guessed right.**

 **For hopefully the last time, I have never heard of the movie or book Indecent Proposal before reviewers mentioned it. As one guest said, the movie came out in 93. I was born in 97. I have never heard of the movie or the book. **

**There was an over-whelming amount of you who wanted to know who the HEA was with so...**

 **I will reveal all at the end of the chapter ;)**

Chapter 3

* * *

I sat in the back of the dark SUV, I was fidgeting with my dress and trying to smooth it out. I needed to focus my attention on something to try and calm my nerves. I was petrified that I was going to make a fool of myself in front of all these rich, elite, snobbish, strangers. I didn't know how to talk to them. What would I talk about? The economy? The newest fashions on the runway? My new summer house in The Hamptons?

I probably had nothing in common with these people.

I glance over to Christian who was staring out the window. He hadn't said much. He had barely looked at me. I would like it if we could get along tonight. Just because this was a business deal, didn't mean we had to be mean and ignore each other. Truthfully, I would like to know more about him. He was a very mysterious man…

I hated the silence that was between us, so I decided to speak up "So, are there any names that I should remember?"

"No" He said as he stared ahead. Behind the privacy screen was another of his security guards, Jason Taylor. "You might meet my brother, sister, and father. Apart from that, there isn't anyone else who is that important"

"What about your mother?" I ask "You said that she worked closely with this charity?" I watched his jaw go tense. His gaze was focused out the window. His whole body went tense when I brought up his mother. I think I knew why "I am sorry…"

Christian ignored me. Any chance we had of getting along tonight was gone now. I didn't mean to upset him, I was just trying to know more about him. When he finally turned his attention back to me, he said "We're not here to talk. We're not here to be friends. I hired you to do a job. All you have to do is smile and stand beside me. That's it"

He was a jerk. I had to remember the money that I would make by putting up with him for the next few hours. I would do what he said. I would be quiet, smile, and stand beside him. We wouldn't be friends. I wouldn't make an effort to know him better. This is just a job.

We sat in silence after that. Neither of us was talking, and the silence was becoming more and more awkward. It made me uncomfortable. I understand why he needed to pay someone to be his date. I don't think he has much experience when it comes to women…or people.

The party was being held in the city of Bellevue, it was a place that I had heard of before, yet never been to. When we drove out to the suburbs and saw all the beautiful homes, it was exactly what I imagined when I thought of rich, suburban, families. I could picture myself living in one of those mansions. I would work in the city and drive home in the evening to my waiting family. It was a nice day dream to have. I wondered if Jose could ever picture himself living in the suburbs like this, or if he would ever want to leave his father's home. We couldn't stay in that house forever…

The SUV pulled up outside a historic looking mansion. It didn't look real. It looked like something that I would see on TV. It was beautiful. There was security standing along the long curved driveway. Other guests were stepping out of their guests and making their way into the party.

"Whoa" I whispered as I stared out the tinted window "This place is beautiful…"

"I was raised here"

My head spun around to look him in the eyes. He was talking to me now? "You were raised here, in this house?"

He nods his head. He looked amused by my amazement "Yes. It is my family home. Is that really so shocking to you?"

"I guess not" I shrug my shoulders and sit back against the leather seat "I just don't know much about you…"

The car came to a stop. Jason Taylor stepped out of the car and opened the door for Christian and I. Christian was out first, he turned back to me and extended his hand to help me out of the tall SUV. I held my dress up to make sure I didn't trip on it while exiting the car. I placed my hand in his. His hand was warm, soft. I hated that I took notice of those things. Once I was out of the car I quickly removed my hand from his. He instead placed a hand on my lower back and led me towards the path on the side of the house. I was very aware of his hand on my lower back.

Tonight is going to be a long night.

We pass two security guards standing on either side of the path. Christian nods to them before we continue down the path. I could hear music coming from behind the house. I could hear laughter and chatter. I shivered from the nerves that I was feeling.

"Are you cold, Anastasia?"

"No" I say as I hug my arms.

"You look freezing" He began to take off his suit jacket to hand to me.

I quickly shook my head "I am not cold…just nervous" I glance up into his grey eyes that were staring down to me.

"It'll be warmer once we enter the marquee"

He guides me around a corner. It's there that I see the large, white, marquee set up on the perfect green grass. It was huge. I could see women in gorgeous formal gowns laugh and sipping on their champagne. Men were in well fitted tuxedos. There was staff dressed in white and black, walking around with trays of champagne. Chandelier's hung from the ceiling of the marquee, giving the area a warm glow to it. It was all very…fancy.

"Wow. I have never been to such a fancy party before"

Christian seems confused by that "Aren't you married?"

I roll my eyes "Yes, but I never had a wedding like this. This is beautiful…"

Christian turned to her until his back was to the party. "Speaking of which, you are still wearing your ring" He nods down to my hand. I completely forgot that I was wearing it. "Unless you want people asking if we're engaged, I suggest that you take it off"

I look down to my small diamond. It was something that I no longer noticed that I was wearing. I had never taken it off before. My diamond wasn't anything spectacular, but Jose had worked hard to pay it off. I would've been happy with something small and cheap. He was the one who insisted that he buy me a real ring. He worked hard at his part-time job to pay it off. I slipped it off my finger with difficulty and dropped it into my clutch. I look back up to Christian "There. Ready"

Together we entered the marquee. Christian had to gently push me to make me walk. Everyone seemed to notice Christian. The women began to whisper and stare his way. The men stood a little taller when he arrived. I wasn't sure if that was a sign of respect, or if they were trying to appear taller and more important than him. He didn't seem to notice them. His eyes instead were scanning the crowd as if he were looking for someone.

"Everyone is starring at you…" I whisper to him.

His lips rise up in a half smile "It's not me that they're staring at" He glances down to me "They're staring at you"

"Me!?" I panic "Do I have mark on my dress or something?"

"No, Anastasia, you look beautiful" I felt my cheeks begin to burn. He steps away from me "Excuse me, I'll be back in a moment"

"Wait…where are you going?" Was he really going to leave me in a crowd full of people that I don't know.

"I need to speak with someone"

He left me alone. I don't know anyone here! I watch as he steps into the crowd and disappears. Now what am I meant to do?

* * *

I decided to walk around the party and look around. I thought I'd blend in more if I was walking, instead of standing by myself and looking awkward. Most people just ignored me. Others gave me strange looks as I passed. Even in my five inch heels, I was still shorter than most people, so I noticed when they gave me dirty looks. By the second flute of champagne, my nerves were slowly beginning to fade. Christian said he was going to be gone for a moment, yet it had been almost an hour and I still had no idea where he was. I didn't care. I had my champagne, I was fine.

As I walked around, I listened to other people's conversations. If my mother saw me doing such a thing I would be lectured about it like I was a child again. I had nothing to better to do, and no one seemed interested in talking to me. Through eavesdropping I found out a lot about the charity. It involved helping children who came from misfortunate backgrounds. It was all about helping them gain access to education, food, love.

The thing that I found the most information on wasn't the charity, it was Grace Grey.

 _"It's such a shame that Grace couldn't be here. Her husband has done such a good job putting the event together in her name"_

 _"Grace would be so proud of him tonight"_

 _"Those poor children, we all know how close they were to their mother"_

So she was dead. I suspected that. It explains why Christian was so against talking about her in the car. Through Jose, I knew how hard it was to lose a parent. I was watching Jose as he still grieved his father. I shouldn't give Christian such a hard time for his horrible attitude…he was grieving the loss of someone he loves. That makes people act up.

I continued my way through the party. I was approaching the stage where a jazz band was playing. A few guests were dancing. Others were standing by and listening to the music. The band was playing Frank Sinatra Fly Away. As I listened and enjoyed the music, dark copper hair from the corner of the room stole my attention.

There he was!

He wasn't alone. He was leaning against the wall talking to platinum, blonde, woman. She was in a black gown. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a twist off her neck. I couldn't see her face since her back was turned to me, but I had no doubt she was attractive. Christian looked comfortable with her. If he is so comfortable with her, then why didn't he just invite her!?

"ANA!"

I quickly spun around in time to see strawberry, blonde, hair coming my way, then arm's wrap tightly around me in an embrace. I knew who it was "Kate? What're you doing here!?"

Kate pulled away to look me up and down. I was able to do the same to her. She was in a plunging red dress, with a slit up the side to show off her toned, long, legs. She looked great. "Me? I want to know what you're doing here. It's been how many years?"

Kate was my college roommate. She was once my closest friend. "Its…its been a while"

"No shit, Steele" She grins "Wow, look at you, you look like a whole other woman tonight. I wasn't sure if it was you at first. The blue eyes gave it away. Only you have eyes as blue as that. Lucky bitch"

I was glad to see that Kate hasn't changed.

"Last I heard from you, you and Jose were going to get married" Kate lift's Ana's hand "But, I don't see a ring on your finger. What happened?"

"Umm…"What do I say? "It's complicated"

Kate nods her head in approval "I always knew you two wouldn't work out. You never looked happy together, it was always forced happiness" Kate smiles "When I found out you were going to get married I wanted to say something, but I thought you'd figure it out on your own"

She really thought that? Great, now I felt even more awkward. I didn't want to talk about my marriage, instead I changed the subject. One thing I knew about Kate was that she loved to talk about herself. "What's been going on with you?"

"Oh you know, I am working for my father's company, I have an apartment downtown, I am dating this new guy. Oh my god, Steele, He is so hunky. He has his own company, and he is older than me, but, he has the mental maturity of a five year old. I am telling you, Steele, this guy could be the one. He is already talking marriage and kids and we've only been together a few months-"

I feel a hand on my lower back, making me jump "Anastasia?" Christian's voice came from beside me. So, he was done ignoring me to spend time with another woman.

Kate lets out a sound of disgust "What do you want, Money-bags?"

"I am not here to talk to you, Ms. Kavanagh" His voice was tight with frustration when talking to her.

I look between them and see the mutual dislike that they shared for the other. "Wait, you know each other?" I asked them.

Kate shrugs her shoulders as if it were no big deal "He is my boyfriend's brother. Wait…how do you know him?"

"She is my date" Christian wrapped a protective arm around me. It was like he was claiming me as his. Standing between him and Kate, I felt like a piece of meat that two dogs were fighting over.

"Date?!" Another voice appeared behind Kate. I looked up to see a head of curly blonde hair and blonde eyes. The man looked like he belonged on a beach in California and less like he belonged in a suit in Seattle. The man was smiling as he took in the hostile scene before him. "Bro, you've got a girlfriend?"

Bro? This must be Kate's new boyfriend…and Christian's brother. They looked nothing alike. The only similarities were their bodies. They were both tall and muscular.

Christian sighs in frustration "Ana, meet my brother Elliot Grey"

"It's nice to meet you" I reached out with a smile and shook his hand.

"Believe me, I never thought I would be meeting you. This is the first time I have ever met one of my brother's _girls_ " He says with a happy grin that showed off his dimples. I glance up to Christian and see that he is frustrated.

"Let's go" He says. Before I have a chance to say anything else, Christian is leading me out of the marquee. What had made him so angry? Elliot seemed like a nice guy. He had been happy to meet me, so what made Christian snap like this. He led me along the soft grass. My heels were getting stuck and I couldn't keep up with his long legs, so he stopped and spun around to face me

"Why didn't you tell me you knew her!?"

"What? Kate?" This man was so confusing. "I am sorry that you never brought up if I knew Katherine Kavanagh" I yelled back at him

"You never asked me if I knew her!"

"I didn't expect you to know anyone from the party"

"Well, that's your problem then!" I stare up into his grey eyes "What is so wrong with me knowing Kate?"

He doesn't say anything. "Well?" I am waiting for him to answer me, but he is refusing to. He was the one who brought it up, and now he wasn't speaking!

I was over this man. I was over not knowing which Christian I was going to get when I talked to him. I refused to stand here and argue with him about something so small. Who cares if I know Katherine Kavanagh! With a roll of my eyes, I try to back away from him. My heels sunk into the grass though. As I go to take a step backwards, my heel doesn't move, causing me to trip. "Ahh-"

Before I have the chance to fall an arm wraps around my waist and holds me up. I open my eyes and see that I am staring into grey eyes. Grey eyes that were extremely close to mine. He was looking at me in a way that a man had never looked at me before, not even my husband. I could see the wild desire that he had for me. I could hear it on his rough breaths. I could feel it in the way that he held me tightly against his body.

His lips were so close to mine. I could see it in his eyes that he wanted to kiss me. I wanted to kiss him. I knew it was wrong of me, I knew I shouldn't feel this way, but I couldn't deny how attracted I was to Christian Grey. I wanted him to press his lips to mine and kiss me with that wild desire that I saw in his eyes. I wanted that, and so did he.

"Christian!"

He quickly pulled away from me. From behind him I could see a tall woman marching over. I could see the anger in her eyes from here. Unlike me, she had no problem in the damp grass. She made her way to Christian, holing up the fuchsia skirt of her dress in one hand, and her champagne flute in the other.

Christian's jaw goes tense "Mia…"

She isn't stopping. She walks right to him and aggressively pokes his chest "You!" She sounded, and looked, drunk. "Dad has been looking for you everywhere. You can't ignore him all night and – who are _you_?"

The woman noticed me standing behind Christian. "Anastasia, meet my sister Mia Grey"

I smile "It's nice to meet you…"

Mia gave me a dirty look. She took another long drink of her champagne before throwing her arm against Christian "You brought a date to the party? You only did that so you can avoid dad, huh? Is _she_ one of your little _sluts_ -"

He steps forward "Mia, you're drunk"

"Well, you're a jerk!" She yells back at him. I can see people in the marquee beginning to stare at us. "You don't care about me! You don't care about Elliot! You don't care about Dad!"

"Mia-"

"No, it's time that you listen to me for once!" She looked over his shoulder to me "You should run. Run as fast as you can away from him. You don't want to be like his other girls-"

" _Mia!"_ Christian growled. The tone in his voice scared me. It scared Mia as well, it managed to shut her up. His intense grey eyes are on mine in an instant "We're leaving"

His hand wrapped around my wrist and he pulled me towards the pavement. I could barely keep up with his fast legs. Wow, he was angry. I didn't understand how his siblings could make him so angry. He didn't want to be around his brother, he didn't want to be around his sister either. He was a complicated man.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket "Taylor" He snapped into the phone "Bring the car around. Anastasia and I are leaving"

We reached the driveway and we were left to wait in an awkward silence. I could feel his anger radiating off him. I didn't understand what was so wrong with him talking to his siblings. They seemed nice…well, Mia was a little bit bitchy. I didn't see Christian for most of the night, so why did he want me there?

Finally, the car was brought around. Jason Taylor quickly stepped out to open the car door for us. I get inside the car first and Christian quickly follows. I really hate this tense silence. I know he might not want to talk but I can't sit in silence until we reach _The Fairmont._

I turn to Christian "Why did you bring me here tonight, Christian?"

"I need a date-"

"No" I shake my head "That is bullshit. You didn't speak to me at all tonight. The only time you spoke to me was when I was talking to another person. Why did you invite me tonight?"

I expect him to go silent and not answer my question. Instead, he actually talks "I…I don't know" He says quietly. His eyes were focused ahead of him "I wanted an excuse to see you again"

 _What!?_

I thought he asked me because every other woman he asked was too scared to go with him. He was intimidating. He was also extremely serious and it was hard to make conversation with him. I didn't think that he asked me because… _he liked me_. His attitude towards me the night he met me had been cold and standoffish. He hadn't acted as if he were interested in me.

Someone like _him_ was interested in someone like _me_.

His eyes looked up to mine "You don't have to worry, I said I wouldn't ruin your marriage and I meant it. I am a man of my word. After tonight you can go home and be with your beloved husband again. You'll forget about me and this night. You can go home and pretend that you are happy with your husband. You can pretend that you are happy working at a hardware store. You can pretend that he fulfils all your needs and that he satisfies you. We both know that's not true, though…"

We rode the rest of the car ride in silence.

* * *

 **Yes, the HEA is with A &C (sorry to those who didn't want that to be spoiled) I cant write a story in which Ana or Christian has a happily ever after with someone else. I respect FF authors who are brave enough to write that, but it just isn't for me. After all, this is a FSOG fanfic. **

**So, what do you think happened with Grace?**

 **Why do you think Christian is so distant to his family?**

 **And the most important question; When do you think A &C will finally give in and have sex!?**

 **Review and let me know :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **I am so happy that you're enjoying this story. I plan to update at least twice a week.**

 **Mind any Grammar mistakes. I didn't have much time to edit this chapter.**

 **Just a reminder to anyone who missed the A/N note on the first chapter:** **If you don't like stories about affairs, or Ana being married to someone else, then don't read.**

 **Ana, Christian, and Jose will do things you don't like. They are going to have demons now which they will have to deal with as the story progresses.**

Chapter 4

* * *

 _One week later._

His lips travelled down my neck, sending shivers through my whole body. I felt warm all over. I ran my hands along his strong, muscular, shoulders. His lips began to kiss a trail down to my breasts. I could feel his warm breath on my skin. I could feel his protective hands moving down the back of my thighs, before raising my leg to wrap around his hips. Every touch, every kiss, every breath, it was driving me insane. Sex had never felt this good before.

I open my eyes to look down into the brown eyes of my husband. Instead of seeing Jose, I see a head of dark copper hair kissing down my stomach. "Jose?" He raises his head and I am not looking into brown eyes, I am looking into intense grey ones. He smiles and begins to move further down my body until his head is between my thighs.

"No!" I panic. "I told you I am not going to cheat on my husband!"

He moves from between my thighs, he raises himself up until he is looking into my eyes. He gently strokes my cheeks and let's his fingers brush through my dark hair. "Do you really want me to stop, Anastasia?"

Did I?

I looked into his grey eyes and tried to make myself say yes. I couldn't do it. I couldn't tell him to stop, because I didn't want him to. I also didn't want to hurt Jose "I don't know…"

He smiled a wicked smile and continued to play with my hair. How could he look so sexy all the time? It didn't matter if he was frowning, straight-faced, or smiling at me like he was right now. "It's only a dream, Anastasia. A dream that you've created" He begins to kiss my neck. I can't stop the quiet moan that escapes through my lips. "So, really…we're not doing anything wrong…"

He was right, this was just a dream. This wasn't real and therefore it wasn't cheating. This was just my subconscious playing an evil joke on me. I might as well enjoy it. I wrapped my arms around him, my hands found their way into the ends of his copper hair and pulled him in closer. "God, I want you so badly…"

"I know, Anastasia, I know…"

* * *

"ANA!"

I was jolted awake from my peaceful dream. I quickly opened my eyes to see the dark eyes of my husband staring down at me. He was sitting on the side of bed, gently shaking me to wake me up. I glance over to the time on the bedside table and see that it is late in the morning.

"You must've been having a good dream" Jose smirks.

"Umm…" Yes, I was. I was dreaming that I was having sex with Christian Grey. Obviously, I didn't feel that way about him, it was just my sub-conscious playing a trick on me. Maybe, I was dreaming about sex with him because I am not getting any from Jose. He wasn't a very sexual person. Neither was I.

I sit up in bed and rub the back of my messing morning hair "What're you still doing here? I thought you'd be at work by now?"

"I had an assignment that I needed to finish. Today was the last day for me to send it in"

Jose had no passion when it came to business. I knew that he hated this course, but he was determined to not fail his father's business. Since the night of the party, Jose had been more relaxed. We now didn't have to worry so much if the store made a profit or not. He was acting more like the Jose I knew in college, the fun, happy, one. That money wasn't going to last forever though. In five years, we'd back to square-one if we didn't change things now.

I reach out and gently rest a hand on his bicep "I've been thinking…" I say in a soft voice "About the store, and about the future of the store…" By the look on his face, I think he knew where this was going "I think we need to talk about whether keeping the store is worth it anymore"

I wait a moment for his response. He doesn't say anything at first. He turns away from me and begins to shake his head. He runs his hand through his long, black, hair that was currently tied back in a small bun. "That was my father's store, Ana"

His voice was eerily quiet. "I know, but we barely make a profit and-"

"And you just want to give up on it!" He jumps up from the bed. He was staring at me as if I was insane. I understood why he was angry, but he had to think about this. We don't make enough of a profit for us to live off. We can't even hire employees to take care of the store. "My father owned that store for almost thirty years! Thirty years, Ana!"

"Yes, and he was struggling as well!" I get out of bed so I am face-to-face with him. "At least he had money saved. All our money has gone to the store. We have nothing, Jose!"

"We have the money you made off Grey"

"And you think that is going to last us the next fifty years?" He had no answer to that "That money can help us start a new life. We can buy a home, an apartment. We can go back to working in the fields that we are passionate in. That money will help us create a new life!"

"No" Was his answer.

He storms out of the room, but I wasn't giving up on this argument. I couldn't keep doing this. I couldn't pretend as if I was happy working in a hardware store for the rest of my life. He wasn't happy either. He was desperately trying to hold onto his father's legacy. We lived in his house, we worked at his store. Our lives revolved around Jose Sr. and he is six-feet-under! It was time that we start living our own life again.

"Jose!" I chase after him as we exit the bedroom. He walks down the small hall and into the kitchen. I quickly catch up to him and grab his arm, forcing him to turn around "Would you listen to me for five minutes!?" I stare into his eyes "Five-hundred-thousand isn't going to last forever! We should think carefully about how we spend it. The store is dead-weight, Jose-"

" _Dead-weight_?" Oops, maybe that wasn't the appropriate word.

"No…you know what I mean-"

"No" He repeats again. "We're not selling the store. We're not moving into the city. That's final"

He turns to walk towards the back door. "We're not done discussing this-" He was ignoring me. I reached for his shirt and grabbed hold of the material to turn him around and face me again. "-what about what I want?"

He stopped for a moment and I thought that I finally got through to him "I can't abandon everything that my father worked so hard for. I am sorry, but this is the way it is going to be"

* * *

"Mr. Grey?"

Christian sat in his office. He had a thick report on his desk that he needed to read through and sign off on. He couldn't concentrate. Ever since Friday night - which had been over a week ago - his mind had been on one thing; Anastasia Rodriguez. He couldn't stop thinking about her. Initially, he thought this had to do with lust. She was an attractive woman, of course Christian would take notice to that. Except, it was so much deeper than lust. He found himself dreaming about what it would be like to wake up on a Sunday morning with her. He found himself dreaming about taking her to events as his actual date, not a paid one. He had never experienced that before…

"Mr Grey?" Andrea's firm voice came over the intercom.

He was snapped from his day dream and pulled back into reality "What?"

"Mrs. Lincoln is here to see you"

 _Great._

He tells Andrea to let her in, and a moment later the double doors open. Elena Lincoln strutted in wearing her heels and dress. Her blonde bob sat sleek and straight on her shoulders. She also looked as if she had more lip injections recently. She was always altering her appearance in some way. First, it was the fake boobs. Then it was the Botox. Now it was lip injections.

"Christian, darling, how are you?" She embraces him and kisses his cheek. She makes the dramatic smooch sound.

"Fine, Elena. You realize I am a busy man, this needs to be quick" He returns to his desk chair.

Elena takes the spot in one of the armchairs that sat opposite his desk. She crossed her legs and leant forward in the armchair. She begins to tap her nude coloured nails on the desk "A little birdie told me that you cancelled your weekend with Tracey?"

"Let me guess, that little birdie is Tracey?"

"You wanted a brunette, blue eyes, short, disobedient. I gave you that in Tracey and yet you turned her away. Honestly, Christian, I thought she was perfect for you" Her lips pressed together in a worried line. She was trying to look as if she actually cared about Christian's well-being. It was hard when she had so much Botox injected into her face

"What is going on with you, Christian? You've been turning away a new sub each month?".

"He didn't know what to tell her. He just shrugged his shoulder "Maybe I am bored of the lifestyle"

Elena cracks up laughing. She tips her head back as she cackles. She had a fake laugh that annoyed Christian. Truthfully, a lot of things about Elena Lincoln frustrated him. "You? Bored of this lifestyle? Don't, be ridiculous, darling" Elena stands and places her hands flat on his desk. She bends down to look him in the eyes. "You thrive in this lifestyle. This wouldn't have anything to do with that pretty brunette you brought to the party, would it?"

Christian didn't say anything.

Elena smirks "That's what I thought

"Are you done? I have business to attend to-"

Before she could answer his office doors flew open. He jumped up from his chair just as his father stormed in, Andrea was hot on his trail "Mr. Grey, your son is busy-"

"He has been ignoring my calls. He is my son and I am – Elena?"

Carrick Grey noticed Elena standing over Christian's desk. Andrea was trying to stop him from entering Christian's office without an appointment or invitation. Carrick didn't care about that. He and Elena being in the same room was not a good thing for Christian. Carrick was staring at Elena, trying to work out what she was doing here. Christian needed to defuse the situation before it blew out of control.

"Dad, what're you doing here?"

"I came to see you, you've been ignoring my calls"

Christian looked to Elena, who got the message. She picked up her handbag and hung it over her shoulder "I'll see you soon, Christian" She nodded to Carrick on her way towards the door "Carrick, we should catch up sometime. I'll leave you boys to it"

Once she was gone, Christian felt like he could take a breath. He didn't have to be on alarm now that his ex-dom and father were out of the same room. He sat back down in his desk chair and looked up to his father. He noticed that his hair was mostly a dark shade of grey, losing all of its original brown colouring. He had more lines on his face, and his eyes looked tired.

"I am busy, Father"

"No you're not, you're avoiding me. I would like to know why?"

Christian opens the folder sitting on his desk. "I don't know what you're talking about. I am busy"

"I know you better than you think, Christian" He steps closer to his desk "I gave you time to grieve. I kept my distance because I thought that was what you needed. It's been almost seven months and you barely call, I've barely seen you"

"I am working"

"You're pushing me and your siblings away. We…we love you" Christian winced at that word "We don't care about your… _lifestyle_ -"

"Enough" Christian snaps.

"Your brother called me and told me that you brought a date to the party on Friday. I didn't even know you were there"

"She and I left early"

"So, you are seeing someone? Is this one of your…" Carrick struggled to say it "…your _special girls_ -"

"No"

Christian glances down to his Rolex and sees that he has another hour before his last meeting of the day. He doesn't want to sit here and talk to his father about his feelings. He wants him to leave and he knows that here is only way to make that happen. "I have a meeting to get to. Excuse me"

Christian begins to walk towards the door. He hears his father let out a sigh of defeat. He shook his head and mumbled something under his breath "You shouldn't be pushing the people who love you the most away. We're a family, Christian. We need each other"

Christian refused to stop walking. "Christian! Your mother would never have wanted you to isolate yourself-"

He didn't want to hear the end of that sentence. He hurried down the hall way to get away from his father. He threw open the glass door of an empty conference room and slammed it shut behind him. He didn't want any of his employee's to see him loose control. He was struggling to keep his breath even, and his head felt like it was spinning.

He hated feeling this anxiety. He hated losing control like this. This was why he avoided his family, because he didn't want to feel this way. He didn't want them to look at him with sympathy. He didn't want them to be awkward around him. His father says that the family doesn't care, but he knows better. He can see the way that his little sister looks at him now. She looks at him like…like he is a monster.

She blames him for what happened to their mother. Christian was sure that deep down so did his father. If it weren't for him and his _perversions,_ Grace may still be alive.

He needed control. He needed to be in control again. His lifestyle was no longer appealing to him. He had his sights set on someone else. Yes, she is married. He no longer cares. He has had married subs in the past. He needs to be in control of his emotions right now, and the only way to do that was to get over his stupid _crush_ on Anastasia Rodriguez.

* * *

Every Tuesday for the past year my father has called me. We have our weekly conversations were we talk about life and all kinds of boring things. He was telling me about this woman he had been seeing. He thought it might be serious, but he said that about the last one. Lately, my father had been trying his luck at dating…and apparently it was working.

I wanted him to be happy, so I would support him on his dating endeavours. I was secretly jealous that my sixty year old father had a more interesting life than me. He was meeting new people. He went to a dance class for a date. He and another date went wine tasting down in California. He was living the life.

"Daddy, do you really think Miranda is the one? You said that about Shelby"

"Well, Shelby became a little too attached. She wanted to move in, then get married, she even said something about having a kid" Dad laughs "I am telling you, Annie, for the first time in my life I am just enjoying myself. I don't think I want to get tied down again"

I put my phone between my ear and shoulder as I carry the heavy bag of soil. We had a new shipment of gardening soil today and since Jose was out playing poker with some friends, it was my responsibility to put it on the shelves.

"I can't believe you have a better social life than me" I tease him. I hear a crack of lightening from outside. It had been storming all afternoon "I should be the one going out and meeting new people every week"

"Don't talk like that, Annie. You're married, and you're a business owner. You're much more mature than most twenty-three year olds"

"I guess…"

"You and Jose are happy, aren't you?"

What do I tell my father?

Jose was like a son to him, especially after Jose Sr. died. He was extremely close to my husband and he loved the idea of us being together. I don't want Jose to lose the relationship he has with my father because we have issues. My father and I were the only family that Jose had left. His mother hadn't been around for years. He had no aunts, uncles, or cousins. He had a grandma who was bat-shit crazy and living in a nursing home. His father is dead.

Who else does he have besides me and my father?

I couldn't tell my father what was going on. I put on a smile "We're fine. We're working hard every day and…and Jose is focusing on his business course. You know, we are great"

"You're a horrible liar, Annie" Was his response "Did you two have a fight or something?"

I begin walking to the front of the store again "We…we had a stupid argument about the store, again. We always move on from arguments. We'll be fine, Daddy. So, tell me more about Miranda – Ahhhh!"

I drop my phone to the ground as I let out a surprised scream. "Shit!" I quickly bend down and pick up my now shattered phone. Great, that is going to cost at least three-hundred-dollars to fix. I look up to the man standing in the doorway of the store. His suit was damp from the storm that had been raging on outside. His copper hair was lying flat from the Seattle rain.

He smiled a wicked smile "I apologize for scaring you, Anastasia"

"What do you want, Christian?

* * *

 **What do you think Christian wants?**

 **What do you think happened between Christian and his father?**

 **What do you think of Elena being in the story?**

 **Review and let me know what you think ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **I am so happy that you're enjoying the story! I don't like Elena like most of you, but sadly she is a necessary evil.**

 **Now on with the story...**

* * *

Chapter 5

Christian Grey sat in the driver's seat of his Audi, watching Anastasia Rodriguez as she walked around her hardware store with a phone to her ear. Her hair was pulled back in that messy ponytail that he remembered from their first meeting. She had on a loose, blue, flannel shirt. Only Anastasia could make flannel look appealing to Christian.

He had been sitting outside the store for the past twenty minutes. He was unsure of his next move. Should he go inside? Should he drive away? He wasn't sure. He came here on a mission. He was going to take back control of his life, starting with Anastasia. She was consuming his every thought. He no longer was experiencing his nightmares because his dreams were made up of Anastasia. Of course he dreamt of what it would be like to fuck Anastasia, he also dreamt of what it would be like to have her as his. He didn't want to share her with her husband. He was never good at sharing…

He continued to go back and forth in his mind. He should leave Anastasia alone. He should leave her to be with her husband, even if she didn't appear happy with him. He should forget Anastasia Rodriguez...but he didn't want to.

He opened his car door and shut it behind him. He pressed the button on his keys to lock it. He walked to the pavement, unfazed by the rain dripping down onto him. As he walked onto the pavement, he noticed a death-trap of a car parked in the car lot. The thing looked like it was ready to fall apart at any moment.

 _Don't tell me Anastasia drives that?_

He continued walking until he was inside the cramped store. The décor of the store looked as if it still belonged in the eighties or nineties. It looked as if it hadn't been painted for at least a decade. There were dints in the walls, and the paint was beginning to chip off. Why would someone come to this store when just across the road there was a brand new Home Depot?

The reason Christian shopped here two weeks ago was because he didn't want to be recognized in the Home Depot. The last thing he wanted was for his family to see photos of him buying rope and duct tape. They believed that Christian was no longer involved with that _lifestyle_.

The night he met Anastasia, it had been a long night for Christian. He had been at his family home having dinner with his family. It had been his father's birthday and he knew it was expected of him to show up for the dinner. He also wanted to go because deep down he hoped that his family had moved on from everything that had happened.

His father was trying too hard to show Christian that he was okay with everything. Elliot was his usual immature self. His girlfriend was cold, and bitchy towards Christian. His little sister Mia was doing everything in her power to show Christian how angry she was. She kept making snide remarks like;

 _"_ _So, Christian, have you heard from Leila lately?"_

By the end of the night, Christian was over it. He called his last sub and told her that he'd be at her apartment within the hour. He never had subs outside of his playroom, but he was so frustrated that he was willing to overlook that rule. He had no whips or canes with him, so he stopped at a small hardware store.

He never thought he'd run into a woman like Anastasia. He never thought he would feel attraction for a woman like he did for Anastasia. With her, he felt like he was a normal thirty-year old. He liked the feeling he experienced when he was around her. She frustrated him with her stubborn and disobedient personality…but it excited Christian. She was unlike any sub he had ever been with

As he entered the hardware store, he could hear her voice approaching "We…we had a stupid argument about the store, again. We always move on from arguments. We'll be fine, Daddy. So, tell me more about Miranda – Ahhhh!"

She was startled by the sight of Christian. Her phone went flying to the ground, landing face first on the hard floor. "Shit!" She swore out in frustration then bent down to pick it up and examine the damage.

He smiled a wicked smile. She never failed to amuse him. "I apologize for scaring you, Anastasia"

"What do you want, Christian?"

He knew what he wanted. He wanted her. It was simple to him. In order to rid himself of this…infatuation that he was experiencing for Anastasia, he needed to have her. He needed to experience what it was like to have her beneath him at his will. Afterwards he would no longer be so obsessed with her.

She carefully brought her shattered phone to her ear "Sorry Daddy. No, everything is fine" Christian could hear a panicked voice on the other side of the phone. Anastasia's blue eyes glance up into Christian's "I was just surprised by…an unexpected visitor. I'll call you in the morning. Love you, Daddy"

Christian smirks " _Daddy?_ Really?"

She rolls her eyes "Are you here to mock me?"

"No" He steps forward. His hands nervously go into the pockets of his suit "I…I wanted to see you"

She arches a single eyebrow up at him "So, you drove through a storm at seven at night to see me?"

He nods his head.

"Are you sure you're not here for more ropes and duct-tape?" She teases. Her arms tightly crossed against her chest "You can't keep stalking me like this, Christian. I did the job you wanted. You paid me for that said job. That was only a one-time thing. You need to leave me alone, Christian"

"I can't…"

"You have to" She steps closer so she can look into his grey eyes. He could smell the coconut in her discount perfume. Even if it was only a twenty-dollar perfume, she smelt delicious. She smelt like one-million-dollars. She gently reached out and pressed a hand to his chest "Even if I wasn't married. This-" She motioned between them "-would never work. I am married to a man I have been with for six years. He and I-"

"Are bored" Christian finishes her sentence before she has a chance to lie "You're bored with him, Anastasia. I did a background check on you; I saw that you had a perfect GPA in English Literature. How does someone go from that, to _this_? I find it extremely hard to believe that you're happy to work here for the next sixty years. If I owned a Publishing company, you'd be the first person I'd hire to work for me…but you're stuck here"

"I am not stuck anywhere!" He saw that fire in her eyes as she glared at him. It only made him more attracted to her "I am doing this for Jose. That's what being in a relationship is all about, something you obviously know nothing about!"

"And you don't resent him for holding you back? That is what he is doing. You are wasting your life playing into _his_ fantasy"

She rolls her eyes; it was something that irritated Christian. "Let me guess, you know exactly what I should be doing? You think you know me?"

"Can you look me in the eyes and tell me that you're happy? That you're not bored of your mundane life? That you don't crave excitement? That you don't want me?"

"I am not bored" She is a terrible liar. "And you don't know me or my husband"

He takes one more step closer "I don't know you. You don't know me" He continues to step closer "I can see it in your eyes how bored you are. I can see the way you react to me. I am exciting to you. That night of the party, you wanted to kiss me, I could see it in your eyes. You want to be bad, Anastasia…"

He could hear her rough breath as he spoke. He continued to step closer until she let out a small gasp. Her back hit the bench and she had nowhere else to go. Christian placed his hands on the waistband of her tight jeans. Her blue eyes went wide and her teeth sunk into her lip. She hadn't told him to stop yet.

He leaned in closer to her "I said I wouldn't ruin your marriage. I don't want to be your Prince Charming that is going to rescue you and carry you away on his horse. I don't do that, Baby. I want what you want"

She swallowed hard. She arched one eyebrow "What do I want Christian?"

"Excitement"

He was so close to her lips. He wanted to take her lip and bite it himself. He wanted to wrap his hand in her long ponytail. He wanted to bind her wrists together. He wanted her completely at his will, and screaming his name. He wanted her to be his, and only his. He wanted her to forget Jose's name. He didn't care if she subbed for him or not. He wanted her anyway that he could get her.

His eyes moved from her luscious lips, up to her captivating blue eyes "I can give you the excitement you crave, Anastasia" His hands moved around her small hips and pulled her in closer to him. She gasped out at the sudden closeness of their bodies.

"Tell me what you want, Anastasia"

Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip as she looked up at Christian. She wasn't going to say what she really wanted. "I am going to kiss you, Anastasia…"

His lips pressed to hers and she was the one to pull Christian in closer. She wanted him. She wanted this, Christian knew that. Her hands moved into his hair as their mouths came together. He pulled her into him until her tiny body was pressed against Christian. He bit down onto her bottom lip like he always wanted to do. She moaned out as he did, causing him to smirk.

His hands travelled down her small hips until the rested on the back of her thighs. He lifted her so she was face-to-face with him. He set her on the wooden counter and continued to kiss her. He didn't want to stop. He wanted her right now, right here on this countertop.

He brushed her thick chestnut hair off her shoulder and started to kiss her neck. She smelt like coconut and vanilla. She smelt delicious. She kept moving her head to the side to expose more of her neck to Christian. He could hear the soft moans on her breath. Her hands were gripping his shoulders.

He reached down to the hem of her flannel shirt and began to rise it up her body. She lifted her arms to help Christian get it off her. It was almost off…but then a loud crack of lightening lit up the store, before leaving them completely in darkness.

The power just went out.

* * *

Even in the darkness, I could still make out the intensity of his grey eyes. His was wide eyed as he looked at me. I could see the desire on his face. I wanted to give into him so badly. I wanted to forget everything and say "Fuck it, I want you"

I feel shivers run down my spine, and butterflies in my belly when this man touches me. When he kisses me I feel like nothing in the world matters. When he kisses me, I lose all my control. All I want is for him to continue to kiss me, and touch me. It would be so easy for me to kiss him and lose all my control…but I wasn't that girl…

When I was ten, my mother taught me something that I carried with me all through my life. That was; " _If you wouldn't do it with your mother watching, then it's probably not a good idea_ "

That motto kept me out of trouble. I never drank as a teenager, I was never disrespectful to my teachers, and I always tried to be kind to everyone. I was a good girl. I wasn't the kind of girl to make out with sexy, insane, rich, billionaire's. Jose would be so heartbroken if he saw me right now. As much as I want this to continue, I can't do it…

"Power's out" I point out the obvious. I pull away from Christian and jump down from the counter top. "We…umm…we should…"

I couldn't think straight. _I just made out with another man._ Why don't I feel guilty about it?

I look over my shoulder to Christian who was staring at me "We should go home – not together!" I shake my head "Umm…I should go home. Jose might be home now. I should check to see if he is home. No, I need to finish unpacking the shipment of soil…I should do that. You should go and-"

"Anastasia, I am not going to leave you alone in a dark store, at seven-thirty at night" He interrupts my rambling. "It's not safe"

"I am a big girl, Mr. Grey"

"I don't give a shit how big you are. You don't have any security cameras in this place. It's night time, and the power is out. There is no point in arguing with me, Baby. I am not taking no as an answer. Either I stay here with you, or I drive you home"

"I have a license and a car"

"You call that death trap a car!?"

"Yes. My car and her name is Wanda" I cross my arms over my chest and stomp my foot like a child.

Even in the dark I can see him smiling. He is desperately trying to hold back a smile. A real smile, not one of those annoying smirks. It was the kind of smile that showed of his perfectly white, straight, teeth. " _Wanda?_ "

Why is it that when he smiles like that, I feel warm inside?

Real smiles must be a rare thing for Mr. Serious and Sexy. It made me happy to see him smiling like that, even if it was because he was laughing at me. I know he can be a jerk, but deep down I think Christian Grey is a kind man. I think this serious demeanour is all a front for the world to see. I don't understand why he feels like he needs to hide the kind side of him?

"Anastasia please let me drive you home. I won't be able to sleep at night knowing that you're driving _Wanda_ around"

I don't think he is going to give up on this issue

* * *

As he drove me home, I kept watching him drive. I don't know why, but there was something seriously sexy about it. I remember when my roommate Kate was dating a guy named Andrew. We would sit up late at night and she would tell me how sexy he was. She would tell me how sexy she found it when he'd lean on doorways. I never understood it, but I'd nod and smile as if I did.

I now get it.

Christian Grey driving was a simple, mundane, task, but there was something so sexy about it. Maybe it was the way his eyes were focused on the road, or the way that his hand reached for the gearstick. Maybe it was the way that he handled such a strong and powerful machine…

"Anastasia, stop biting your lip. It is extremely distracting when I am trying to drive"

 _Oh…_

I quickly divert my eyes from him. I can see my house approaching as we drove down the dark road. The rain was hitting the windshield as we drove. It was hard to see and I was secretly glad to not be driving in this storm.

He pulled up outside my neighbour Patsy's house. My house was across the road. It was one of the smallest houses in the street. The overgrown garden stood out against the neighbours perfect lawn.

I turn to Christian "Thank you for the ride"

"Anytime, Anastasia. I want to know that you're safe and taken care of"

"You shouldn't…" I quietly tell him. "You shouldn't care if I am safe or not. You shouldn't worry about me. You shouldn't…we shouldn't…"

I couldn't finish that sentence. I can feel my cheeks begin to blush as he stares at me. I let my chestnut hair fall over my shoulders to hide from him. He reaches out and gently brushes it off my face.

"I do care, Anastasia. I have tried to stop caring. I've tried to forget you. I've tried to stay away. I can't, though. I can't stop thinking about you…I can't move on from you" He says in a low voice "Ever since I saw you that night, I have been captivated by you"

"I am married…"

"Tell me you don't want me, Anastasia. Tell me you're not curious about what we could have. Tell me that you don't feel anything for me. Tell me that you're in love with your husband" I couldn't answer him "Tell me that you love him, and I will leave you alone. I won't call you; I won't show up at your store. It'll be like I never existed"

Did I want that? No, not at all. I feel alive with Christian. I feel like my life is more than just a stupid Hardware Store. I was excited to see him. I was excited to be around him. When he touched me, I felt things I had never felt before. The only thing stopping me from being with him was Jose.

"Do you love him Anastasia?"

"Why are you doing this to me?" I whisper to him. "Why are you putting me in this position? No matter what I say, I am going to hurt someone. Jose is…he isn't himself right now. He is depressed and he is holding onto his father's legacy-"

"Are you going to spend your whole life making excuses for him?"

I shake my head and reach for the door handle "I need to get out of here. I need to go home before I do something that I'll regret"

I turn to Christian one more time. He had a deflated look in his eyes. His jaw had gone tense and he was gripping the black, leather steering wheel. He is disappointed that I didn't tell him what he wanted to hear. I lean over the car and press my lips to his cheek "I am sorry"

I push open the car door and step out. I look back to Christian "You deserve a bigger life than this, Anastasia. I am not going to give up on you…"

* * *

 **Did Anastasia do the right thing by walking away?**

 **Do you think Christian is going to give up easily?**

 **Let me know what you think :)**

 **I promise you are closer to finding out what happened to Grace. I don't think anyone has guessed it correctly yet.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **YAY! we passed 100 reviews!**

 **Because we passed 100, I figured I would give you a _little_ hint on what happened to Grace...**

 **Which will be revealed at the end of the chapter ;)**

* * *

Chapter 6

Katherine Kavanagh walked down the busy Seattle street. Her phone was pressed to her ear as she listened to her mother go on and on about the new girl that Ethan was dating. Her mother wanted to arrange a meal with the whole family…and Elliot. Kate had yet to introduce Elliot to her family, only because his family was so crazy.

His brother is a reclusive, mega-rich, asshole. His little sister is a spoilt brat. She is out at the club every Friday night getting blackout drunk. She is a mess. Then his father is barely holding the family together. Carrick worries so much about Christian that he forgets Mia and Elliot also lost their mother. The family was a hot-mess.

"Yes, mum" Kate says with a frustrated sigh "I'll talk to Elliot and see if he is busy"

"If you're serious about wanting to get engaged to this man, he needs to come and meet your father. I swear, it's like he doesn't exists. You've been with the man for how long and I have never met him?"

As she is walking she spots her friend Allister sitting in the Starbucks. He had a window seat that looked out to the street. His laptop was in front of him as he worked on one of his new photographs. He waved Kate's way as she walked past the window.

"We've been together for seven months…almost eight" She tells her mother "I promise that you will meet him one day. I have to go-"

"Katherine, don't you dare hang up on me-"

"Love you, Mum"

She hangs up her phone. She throws it into her handbag before entering the busy Starbucks. She spots Allister straight away. He always stood out in a crowd. He had an attractiveness to him that drew women in. He wasn't a big, burly, broad man…but slim, and well-styled. He had a feminine beauty about him.

Kate walked over and threw her handbag onto the rustic, wood, bench. "Thank god it is Friday. I am exhausted" She complains "My boss made me do a death-knock today. Do you have any idea how depressing it is to knock on someone's door after their loved one has been murdered?"

"You chose that career, Honey"

Kate looks at his laptop and see's the gorgeous photo that he was photo-shopping. "Is that one of your girls from Australia?"

"Yep, she is a beauty isn't she?"

Recently Allister spent a month in Australia. He liked to travel the world and take photographs of women. He was a great photographer, especially when it came to glamour shoots. Give it five years and Kate knew that he'd be shooting Vogue covers. The world should remember Allister Kamp's name.

"How is lover boy, you haven't broken up have you?"

"Nope" Kate says with a happy grin "He and I are still going strong. Last night he told me that he wanted me to move into his apartment. He even asked me to go off birth control"

Allister almost choked on his coffee " _What!?"_ He was shocked " _You_ want to have a baby?"

I roll my eyes "Not right now…but one day I will want one. I told him that I needed a ring on my finger before I even considered going off birth-control" Kate then remembers what she had been dying to tell Allister "Guess who I ran into the other day?"

"Who?"

"Anastasia Steele" She says and waits for his surprised reaction. He doesn't react. He just stares at her. "You know, she is about _this_ tall. Brunette. Blue eyes. She was my roommate through college. You tried to hit on her once-"

"I know who she is"

Allister had been in Kate and Ana's group of friends through college. He was actually best friends with Jose Rodriguez. The pair were opposite in so many ways, yet found friendship in their passion for photography. Ana and Kate never understood how they could be so close when the only thing they really had in common was photography.

"Well, do you remember how she and Jose were meant to get married? Guess what, it didn't happen. She was at the Grey Charity party with…get this… _Christian Grey_ "

Allister frowned. His neatly plucked eyebrows came together in a V. "Anastasia and Jose?"

"Yep" Kate nods "I knew they would break up. They were together four years and never had sex. It wasn't a religious thing, either. They just weren't attracted to each other. It's weird. Elliot and I have sex like…twice a day"

Allister wasn't saying much. He seemed confused if anything. That made Kate suspicious, Allister was usually chatty. Kate loved meeting him for coffee and having a bitch-session with him. He was her best girlfriend.

"Are you sure it was Ana with Christian Grey?"

"Yes!" Kate nods "I talked to her myself. As much as I can't stand Christian, those two make a good looking couple. Why is this so confusing to you? You had to know that she and Jose wouldn't work out"

Allister shuts the lid of his laptop. He turns to face Kate "Are you sure it was her?"

"Oh my god!" Kate throws her arms up in frustration "Yes, it was her! What else do you want me to say? She was there with Christian Grey and looking super-hot-"

"She is married, Kate"

"No…"

Allister nods his head. His green eyes were wide behind his black glasses "Yes. She and Jose got married like three months after graduation. They're still married right now"

"How do you know?"

"I saw Jose on…Tuesday night. Trust me; I know that they're married"

Kate refused to believe what he was saying. She continued to shake her head and tell him no. "She wouldn't get married without telling me. I am her best friend. I was going to be her maid-of-honour, and she was going to be mine. We made a pact in freshmen year. She wouldn't do that…"

"She did. She and Jose are married and have been for years"

Her best friend got married and never told her? Anastasia was like a sister to Kate and she…she got married in secret. She got married to _Jose?_ Why the hell was she at a party with Christian Grey?

Kate had a lot of questions.

* * *

I lay in bed with the old ceiling fan spinning above me. I lay like a star-fish with my hands and legs spread over the bed. I didn't want to get up. I didn't want to face the day. I couldn't find it in me to get out of bed and do the same mundane thing again. I get up. I shower. I pay bills. I clean. I go to the store. Jose does errands. I stay at the store until six. I come home. I eat dinner. I read my book. I go to sleep. Rinse and repeat.

I didn't want to do it.

Christian Grey had infiltrated my life and changed something inside me. A month ago, I didn't want to change. My life was easy, it had routine, nothing was ever challenging. Christian was like a tornado destroying my calm, serene life. I will never go back to the way things were. I will never love Jose like I once did, I will never feel for him the way I feel for Christian.

Slowly, I was beginning to realize that my marriage was over.

You either grow with someone, or you grow apart. I had dreams, I had aspirations and I lost them the day I married Jose. I married him because it was easy to be with him. I was barely twenty-one and I had no idea what I was doing. At twenty-one I didn't know who I was. I had no idea how much hard work went into a marriage. I am twenty-three, almost twenty-four, and I still have no clue who I am.

Am I the girl who does nothing wrong. The girl who is quietly standing in the corner at a party. The girl who would rather stick her nose in a book than talk to people. Is that me anymore?

I don't know who I am. I don't know what to do next. I don't know anything anymore…and it scares me.

My phone begins to vibrate on the bedside table beside me. With a groan I reach for it and put it to my ear "Hello?"

"Steele!"

I sit upright in bed "Kate?"

 _Oh god, she sounds angry._

"Do you have something to tell me, Steele?"

"Ah…"

"Is it true?" I can hear the break in her voice. _Is she crying?_ "Is it true, that you and Jose got married behind my back?"

How did she find out about that? Jose and I never told people that we were getting married. We didn't want our friends to make a big fuss of the wedding. We were going to tell people afterwards…but we never did. We all fell out of touch.

"Is it true, Ana?"

"Yes" I admit "Jose and I are married. We never told anyone, Kate. It was only family that came to the wedding and-"

"If you never told anyone how come _fucking_ Allister Kamp knows!?"

Allister? I hadn't heard from him in years. He was once Jose's closest friend. Jose doesn't talk about him. I don't think they kept in touch after we were married. Obviously they did if he knows that we got married.

"Kate, I am sorry. We didn't want to make it a big deal. It wasn't a big wedding; I didn't even have a wedding dress. We had it in our backyard, and we had Chinese takeout for dinner. It wasn't a big church wedding. I know that doesn't make it any better" I take a breath "Kate, I didn't want you to make the day bigger than what it was…I am sorry"

"It was your wedding day" I can hear how upset she is. I didn't realize she'd be this upset about it "Of course I am going to make a big deal about it. It should be a big deal. You should spend the day selfishly with all the attention on you. If you didn't have a wedding dress, what did you wear?"

"A white sundress…"

Kate begins to laugh "Of course you did, Steele"

I laugh with her. I know that the day Kate gets married; she is going to make a big show of it. She is going to wear a ball gown dress with sparkles. She will get married in a cathedral. She will spend thousands on the perfect reception. My wedding only cost a few hundred dollars.

Kate suddenly stops laughing "Don't tell me you had a shotgun wedding. There isn't a child that I should know about?"

"No!" I say quickly

"I have so many questions for you. Can we meet somewhere for coffee?"

I look at the clock on the bedside table. I can see that it is almost lunchtime and Jose will be expecting me to come into the store soon. I don't want to spend six hours in that place. I want to see Kate; I want to talk to someone about what is happening

"Yeah, let's meet for coffee"

* * *

I sat in the Starbucks nervously pulling at my sweater. I was twirling my fingers through my hair as my eyes scanned the busy restaurant. There was a gaggle of teenage girls ahead of me talking about a party they were going to tonight. Across from me was a young couple who were smiling at each other. Under the table their feet were playing footsie. In line at the cash register was another couple who had their arms around each other in line.

I was never like that with Jose. Those couples look young and in love. They look at each other the way that Jose and I should look at each other. Was I ever _in love_ with him, or was I just comfortable with him?

I don't know anymore. I am questioning everything.

"Ana!"

I quickly stand up as Kate's arms wrap around me in a hug. Her strawberry blonde hair was down. She had on a pair of tight jeans and a loose shirt that showed off her curves. Her skin had a light tan to it. She looked the same as she did two years ago. She still looked like Kate.

"I didn't know if you were going to show up" She tells me as we sit down at the table "I am so happy to see you, Ana. Ever since I saw you at the party I have wanted to catch up. Things just haven't been the same without you"

"I am sorry" I say quietly.

Kate reaches across the table and grasps my hand. "You don't have to apologize. I want to know everything that has been going on with you. I want to know what exactly you were doing with Christian Grey"

I was able to talk to Kate and tell her everything. Although, she was intimidating, and she was nosy when it came to getting information, she wasn't judgemental. She listened to everything I had to say. She let me talk about Jose, the Hardware Store, Christian, the party, kissing Christian. There was a lot I needed to get off my chest.

I told her how confused I was in my marriage, and that I didn't know what I wanted anymore. I told her that I wasn't sure that I was in love with my husband…or if I ever was. I told her that I married him because I thought that it was expected of me. I wasn't thinking about what was best for me when I agreed to marry him. I was thinking about him.

I explained to her what happened between Christian and me. I explained that he paid me to go on a date with him, and ever since I haven't been able to forget him. I told her that we made out on Tuesday night and if we hadn't been interrupted…I would've had sex with him.

"So, you're telling me that you are crushing on _Christian Grey_. My boyfriend's brother?"

"Yes"

"And you almost had sex with him?"

I cover my face with my hands and slowly nod my head "Yes…"

"You like him. You are attracted to him. You're dreaming about him. You get butterflies when you're around him. You want to be with him. You feel more for him than you ever did for Jose-"

"I never said that" I sit up quickly.

Kate shrugs her shoulders "It's kind of implied, Ana. No offense, but there was never any chemistry between you and Jose. You two together are about as hot as a polar bear in Antarctica"

I shake my head "How many times do I have to tell you? There are no polar bears in Antarctica"

"Don't try and change the subject. I want a clear answer from you, Steele. If someone put a gun to your head and forced you to choose which man you wanted. Who would you choose? Jose or Christian?" I don't say anything "Ana! It is not that hard"

"Yes it is!" I snap back at her and then quickly lower my voice "I am not dating Jose, I am married to him. He doesn't have any other family. He relies on me to help him with the store. He needs me…"

"So, you choose him?"

"I don't have a choice. I can't just dump him and then hook up with Christian. Marriage is so much more complicated. I owe it to Jose to try and work things out"

"Why?" She asks "It's not like you have children together"

She was right. I hated that she was right. I couldn't think of another reason as to why I should work things out with Jose. We're not happy, we haven't been….ever. I could lie and say that we were happy when we were newlyweds. The truth was that we weren't. Jose was depressed after what happened to his father. We moved into our house and began taking over the store…our lives had been the same since.

I am lying to myself every morning that I wake up and pretend that I am happy to do the same thing every single day. I am twenty-three with a college degree. What am I doing with my life?

"The only thing keeping you in this marriage is the loyalty you feel to Jose. Does he feel that way for you? He sounds like he has become an ass, Ana. You have the right to be happy. You have the right to have the career that you want so badly. He is holding you back, why cant you see that?"

"I do see it!"

"Remember my ex Andrew?" I nod my head "Well, after college couldn't find a job. Because of that, he turned all his anger and frustrations on me. He made me feel guilty for working so many hours and not giving him enough attention. He tried to convince me to quit my job because he didn't think it suited me. He said that we would be so much happier if I didn't work so much. He was doing everything he could to try and hold me back. He wanted to make me feel as empty as he did"

"I dumped his ass. I am now moving up the ranks as a journalist and Andrew is...I don't know. He is irrelevant. My point is that you shouldn't give up everything to make someone else happy. You will never have a happy relationship, unless _you_ are happy

"You're right" I whisper to her.

I fold my arms on the table and rest my head there. Kate reaches out and runs her hand through my messy ponytail as she tried to comfort me. I lift my head up to look Kate in the eyes "What do I do?"

"You come home with me. You call Jose and you tell him that you need some time to think. I have a spare room that you can stay in. We'll have a girl's weekend"

I smile at the thought of a girls weekend. "Can we get drunk?"

Kate laughs "Yes. We will get very, very, drunk. We will watch the Notebook and cry for hours. We will devour a tub of _Ben & Jerry's_. We will get Mani's and Pedi's. We will gossip about all our old girlfriend's. By the end of the weekend you will have a clear head, I promise"

"You don't mind?"

"No!" Kate shakes her head. A big smile spreads over her face "I know exactly what we are doing tonight, Ana"

* * *

Christian Grey sat in his office staring at the papers on his desk. He had been in meetings all day. Those meetings were regarding just one company that Christian was interested in. The company was about to go under, it probably wouldn't last the next six months. Christian had no interest in Publishing, but he knew Anastasia did…

If he could give her anything, he wanted it to be this. He wanted to give her the opportunity to succeed in life. He saw so much potential in her. One day, she would see it as well. She wouldn't until she left that deadbeat husband of hers.

If Christian was married to Anastasia, he would never try to hold her back. He would spend every waking moment trying to make her happy. His goal in life would be to see her smile and laugh everyday…

 _Slow down, Christian. You've barely known her a month. You shouldn't be thinking about marriage and how you would spend your life with her .This isn't like you._

As he stares at the reports, his phone starts to vibrate in his pocket. He pulls it out and sees his brother's name on the screen. With a sigh he puts it to his ear. "Elliot"

"Bro, I didn't think you'd answer" Elliot says in his energetic, happy, voice. He reminded Christian of a puppy. That was the easiest way to describe Elliot. "What's up?"

"Nothing is _up_ " Christian leans back in his office chair "What do you want, Elliot?"

"I am going out with Kate and a few of her friends tonight-"

"Have fun-"

"Hold on!" Elliot says quickly "I am going out with Kate and her best friend…Anastasia…the girl you brought to the party. I figured you'd be interested in seeing her again. Why don't you come out and join us?"

Now Christian was interested in what Elliot had to say. _Anastasia would be out tonight, which means she is away from her husband._

This may be Christian's chance.

"I'll think about it"

* * *

 **Okay, the _little_ hint is: T** **hat it doesn't involve a gun. I think that was the most popular theory. I know that one of you has come close to guessing it right.**

 **So, Ana is finally realizing that her marriage is over.**

 **Christian has a sudden interest in buying a Publications company...I wonder which company that is?**

 **And, what do you think of Allister Kamp? Do you think he'll be important?**

 **Hmm, let me know what you think :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **I loved reading all of your theories on Allister!**

 **Now on with the story...**

* * *

Chapter 7

Kate's apartment was everything that I thought it would be. It was in a beautiful location in the heart of the city. She lived on the second floor in a two bedroom apartment. The apartment wasn't large by any means. You stepped through the front door and entered the living/kitchen area. On the coffee table were all kinds of paper work. The Kitchen had old boxes of Pizza stacked on the bench. There were clothes thrown across the room. Kate had always been messy; I was the one who would clean up after her.

On the back of a wooden stool was a pair of men's boxers "Sorry" Kate quickly grabbed them and threw them into the corner of the room "They're Elliot's. He spent the night here last night. My roommate recently moved out, and so he and I have been taking advantage of the empty apartment"

"Oh…" I would not be sitting on that stool "You two seem really in love"

Kate grins "We are"

She picks up a bra that was thrown over the red couch, then a pair of her own underwear "I would've cleaned up had I known you were going to spend the weekend here. I'll give you a tour" She motions for me to follow her "Down this hall is the bathroom on your left. On your right is the spare room, you can stay in there. Down the hall is my bedroom. That's it"

I nod "It's nice…"

"I know it isn't much, but ever since I have been with Elliot, he is really pushing for me to become independent. He hates that my dad would pay my rent. He said that was a deal breaker. I like being independent. I feel like an adult and not some spoilt brat"

"Good" I smile "I am happy that he is making such a positive change on you"

She nods happily "And you can meet him tonight"

"Is he coming over?"

"No, we are going out!"

 _Oh god._

"Kate…I don't know…"

She links her arm through mine "C'mon, Steele" She says as she leads me towards the master bedroom "I have a cute dress that is way too small for me, but will look amazing on you. We will go out with a few of my girlfriends. We'll get drunk. You can flirt with a hot guy at the bar. You can get your mojo back, Steele"

"I didn't realize I had any _mojo_ "

"You will after tonight!" She declares. "You are no longer Anastasia Steele, the quiet bookworm who sits in the corner and is awkward all night. You are Ana, the sexy, strong, fierce, independent women, who knows how to have a good time and let loose!"

"That sounds nothing like me" I laugh.

"It will be after tonight. Now, are you with me or not?"

I want to do something fun. I shouldn't sit at home and do nothing; I should go out and be twenty-three. I should go out to the club and chat up a cute guy. I should go get drunk with some girls and dance all night. I should be dancing so much that by tomorrow morning, I won't be able to stand on my feet.

I should have fun.

"Okay, I am with you" Kate cheered with joy at that. "But, first I need to call Jose. I should tell him that I am not going to be home. I don't want him to worry about me"

Kate went into the bedroom to find the dress she wanted me to wear. I stepped out into lounge room. I dodged Kate's underwear that was lying on the floor. I don't think I want to sit on those couches…I instead move to the large square window that looked out to the office building across the street.

I pulled out my phone and took a deep breath before dialling Jose's number. He didn't answer at first. He finally did after a minute "Hey, Ana"

"Hi…" I didn't know how to start this conversation. "Umm…I am going to be in the city this weekend. I was just calling to let you know that I am not going to be home until Monday. I think I need to spend some time away to think about-"

"Are you with Grey?"

That was his first question? Wow, for once, he actually sounded jealous. "No, I am with Katherine Kavanagh. We had coffee today. She offered me a place to stay for the weekend…while I figure out some things"

"What _things_?"

Did he really need me to explain it? He should know what _things_ I am talking about. He must know how miserable our marriage is. He isn't happy, he is a shell of the man he once was. He no longer has any passion. He no longer smiles, or laughs. He isn't the Jose I knew in college. Neither of us are happy.

"C'mon, Jose, we both know that this marriage isn't working out. Neither of us is happy. We have no passion or spark-"

"We've been together for six years!" He snaps "You name any couple that has been together for that long and still has passion or spark. This isn't some stupid fairy-tale, Ana. This is real life. In real life, passion and spark doesn't exist!"

It does, I know it does. I feel it with Christian, so I know that it exists.

I am not a religious person and nor is Jose. We never abstained from sex because we were waiting until marriage. We abstained because he would never show interest in sex, and I was always too shy to initiate something. There were moments when we would make out and we would try to take that next step. It was always awkward though. Even in the beginning of our relationship, we never had that burning, intense, passion.

We had sex for the first time on our wedding night, and it was a disaster. The night before my mother tried to give me the sex talk, but Kate already beat her to it in freshmen year of college. Hearing the sex talk from my mother was just embarrassing and I couldn't look her in the eye the next day. On our wedding night we stayed in a B&B. It was quaint, and quiet. Both of us had a few drinks at the wedding, so when it came time to having sex…it didn't quite work.

He had performance issues.

It took a few weeks for us to feel comfortable around each other. I tried to do things to make him stay…erect, but they didn't work. Finally one night I gave up, we both got really drunk and went for it. It worked. I lost my virginity. I don't exactly remember it though. Our sex life since hadn't been memorable. We weren't sexual people, we didn't care about sex.

"Jose, I think we need time apart to think about what we want"

"I know what I want, Ana!"

"Fine!" I snap through the phone " _I_ need time to figure out what _I_ want. Not everything is about you, Jose. I want to go out with Kate and have fun. I want to be twenty-three. My sixty year old father has more of a social life than me!"

"So, this isn't about what you want. This is about you going out. You gave that up when you married me-"

I hang up on him. I don't want to listen to him anymore. He is going to make me feel guilty for going out. He wants me at home so we can have boring sex, and talk about our boring life. I am done. I will be going home on Monday to pick up my things and then…I don't know what I am doing.

* * *

Kate pulled at my hair with the straightener. She wasn't gentle about it. Sher pulled, twisted, and tugged my hair in all kinds of directions. Every time I complained, she told me that beauty was pain and I'd have to deal with it. I let Katherine Kavanagh do her magic with my hair and makeup. It felt like we were in college all over again.

As Kate sprays more hairspray in my hair, I reach for my phone. I pick it up and see no new messages from Jose. I don't know what I expect from him. It's not like he is going to apologize for the way he spoke to me. I should stop worrying about him. I put my phone back on the table that was covered with makeup.

"He'll get over it, Ana" Kate tells me. She runs her nude coloured nails through my hair "Remember, this weekend is about you. Don't worry about Jose"

"It's hard not to"

"Once you've had a drink or two, you won't even remember his name" She smiles down to me so I know she is only joking. At least, I think she is joking. "You'll be having so much fun that you will forget all about Jose and his drama"

"So how many people are coming out?"

"I don't know, seven…ten"

"That many!?"

Kate laughs "Relax, Steele. It'll be fun, I promise. I am going to make you the hottest one in the room…well…second hottest next to Elliot. Those Grey boys are sexy"

"They are…but they don't look alike"

"They're adopted" _What!_ "All of them are adopted. How much do you actually know about Christian?"

"Not much" I quietly admit. I glance up at Kate through the mirror. I hoped she had the answer to a question that had been on my mind. "Do you know what happened to their mother Grace? I only know that she died…how did it happen?" Kate shrugs her shoulders. "You don't know?"

"Grace was recovering from surgery. Then one day she just died" Kate could see the confusion on my face "I know it doesn't make sense. Doctors found a tumour in her brain. She had it removed before it spread. Elliot told me that one night she suffered an aneurism in her sleep and…she died"

"You don't sound like you believe that"

"I don't" Kate shakes her head. She begins to pull my now straight hair into a ponytail. "I looked into it, Ana. Elliot's story checks out, but there is something off about it. There is something missing. I don't know what, but something more happened"

"Do you think she was murdered?"

"I don't know" Kate says. She then smiles "I don't want to talk about something as depressing as my boyfriend's mother's possible murder. This is meant to be a fun night, Steele!"

She pulled my hair back in a sleek ponytail and then ushered me into the bathroom to change into the dress and heels that she chose for me. The dress felt way too short. I felt like everything was on display when I wore it. I felt unstable on the stilettos that Kate chose for me. I was lucky that we were the same shoe size.

The dress she chose was a red, V neck, strapless dress. I felt like if I danced too hard, my boobs would fall out of the dress. I felt so exposed. I couldn't deny that the dress did look good. It made my body appear curvier then what it really was.

I stepped out of the bathroom, pulling the short red dress down as I walked. Kate was already in her black halter-top playsuit. She was curling the ends of her strawberry blonde hair. She grinned and whistled out to me "You look hot, Steele"

"I don't look too… _slutty_ "

"No, you look just the right amount of slutty" She turns back to the mirror to finish curling her hair. "Trust me; this night is going to be a memorable one"

* * *

For the first time in forever, I felt free.

I was in the sea of sweaty people dancing. I knew I probably looked like a deer on ice when I danced, but I didn't care. After three vodka shots, I was on top of the world and nothing was going to drag my mood down. I sung to the music with Kate and her girlfriends. Her girlfriends were nice girls and after our first drink we were acting as if we had known each other for years. They were dancing with random guys that they found, while Kate and I were sticking together.

The DJ was playing a remix of _Thrift Shop_ by _Macklemore_. Everyone in the club seemed to know this song and everyone sung it out loudly. As I danced, Kate wrapped an arm around my wrist and pulled me in close to her.

"Hot guy behind you is checking you out" She yelled in my ear.

I quickly looked over my shoulder and I saw 'Hot Guy'. He was attractive and he was staring at me. His lips rose up in a half smile as I stared. He nodded his head in my direction. _Oh god, he is coming this way_. I quickly turn around and see Kate grinning at me.

I feel his hands wrap around my waist as he danced behind me. He leaned down to my ear "I saw you staring at me. You look…so fucking hot in this dress"

I didn't feel anything but disgust when he tried to compliment me. I could smell alcohol and cigarette on his breath. I don't want to dance with him. I look to Kate for help but she just gives me a thumbs-up. She turns around and continues to dance. _What do I do?_

"What's your name?"

I freeze "Ahh…"

"You're a frigid little thing, aren't ya'" He moves my waist for me "I like shy girls…the shyer the girl, the freakier she is in bed. I bet you're a real freak in bed. I plan to find out, why don't you come back to my area?"

A head of dark copper hair caught my attention. _Christian! Oh no_. He was scanning the crowd looking for me, and he found me…in the arms of another man. He pushed past the sea of people as he marched towards me. I could see the fury in his eyes. I tried to wriggle out of 'Hot Guy's' arms and get to Christian before he did something stronger. 'Hot Guy' was strong and he refused to let me go.

"Christian-"

" _Get your fucking hands off her_ "

I had seen Christian Grey mad. I had seen him frustrated. This was the first time that I had seen him…furious. Even in the darkness of the club, I could see his eyes burning with anger. I knew I needed to defuse the situation before things blew out of control.

"What're you going to do about? I am dancing with her. She wants to dance with me. Why don't you run along and hide behind one of your security guards, Grey" He said as he continued to gyrate against me. "I am sure she wants a real man"

I was becoming less and less attracted to 'Hot Guy'. I wanted to get away from him. I wanted to talk to Christian. I wanted to know what the hell he was doing here tonight. How did he even know that I'd be here? Did Kate tell him?

"I won't ask you again, Jack" Christian takes another step forward. He lowered his voice to what sounded like a growl " _Let her go_ "

I continued to struggle in 'Hot Guy's' arms. I knew he wasn't going to let me go, so I stomped my six-inch heel as hard as I could into his boot. I may be small, but I knew I was strong. He yelled out in pain and let me go. " _You fucking bitch_ " He cursed as he held onto his foot.

Christian's hand wrapped around my wrist "C'mon" He growled and began to pull me out of the crowd. People moved out of Christian's way as he stormed through. They could probably feel his anger, I know I could. _Was he angry at me?_ He has no reason to be angry at me. I was only dancing with someone, and last time I checked Christian Grey was not my boyfriend, my husband, or my father.

"I need to talk to Kate" I tell him. I try to pull my arm out of his grip but he isn't letting me go "I am not going to walk off with you. I need to-"

"She is busy, Ana. I need you more than she does right now"

I look over my shoulder to see if I can see her in the crowd. I find her with her arms around Elliot. She is laughing as he kisses her neck and dances with her. His hands were on her behind pulling her in closer to him. I wondered for a moment whether what they had was really love, or was it just lust?

Christian pulled me dark a down hallway. The hallway was narrow with purple LED lights lining the roof giving the room a purple glow to it. The neon lights made me feel sick when I looked at them. I definitely had too much Vodka tonight. A group of drunken girls were struggling to make it into the bathroom at the end of the hall. They were leaning against the walls for support; their short dresses were beginning to roll around their hips. I noticed the short dark hair on one of them. She looked familiar.

 _Was that Mia?_

She stepped into the bathroom with her friends before I had a chance to say anything. Christian turned to me and in a heartbeat had me pinned to the wall. He held my wrist tightly against the thumping wall. He stared into my blue eyes. I no longer saw the anger and wild jealousy. I saw that intense, animalistic desire that always made my heart beat faster. He looked at me and without words, I knew what he wanted. I could feel what he wanted to do to my body.

"Anastasia" He growls. His free hand moves to cup my face. "Do you have any idea how crazy you make me? I was so…jealous when I saw you with him. I don't like sharing, Anastasia. I refuse to share you with _anyone_ "

Was it wrong of me to be turned on by angry, jealous Christian?

My three shots of Vodka had made me brazen. I knew what I wanted, and that was him. I had no doubt in my mind that I wanted him. I wanted him with every fibre of my body. I didn't hesitate. I reached up and kissed him hard…maybe too hard…

He let go off my wrist and wrapped his hands around my waist. He pulled me into him as tightly as he could. I could feel his whole body pressed against mine, holding me against the wall. Our first kiss had been passionate, and sensual….this was purely animalistic. We wanted each other. I didn't care if we were in a dirty hallway, I wanted him right here, right now.

I wanted to take the lead with him; I wanted to show him what I wanted, so I bit down on his lower lip, hard. I heard him groan out in appreciation. "Anastasia…"

"Take me" I tell him. I press my body against his and stare up into his gorgeous grey eyes "I need you, Christian"

He started to kiss my neck. There was a spot on my neck, just below my ear that was always sensitive. I couldn't stop the moan that came from my lips when he kissed me there. His hands moved down to my thighs. His fingers on my bare skin made me shiver. He moved my dress up, his fingers brushed against my panties, making me gasp.

"Tell me to stop" He whispers in my ear. His fingers continued to brush against me. I bit hard onto my lip to stop myself from making a noise. He ran his nose along my neck before he whispered "What do you want me to do, Anastasia. Tell me what you want…"His fingers pushed my panties aside. His body covered mine as his fingers began to caress me "Is this what you want? Do you want me to continue, Anastasia? Tell me what you want"

"You. I just want you"

I gasped loudly as his fingers moved inside me. He covered my lips with his to stop me from making too much sound. As his fingers slowly pleasured me, his thumb moved to my clit and began to rub me. I was so grateful that his body was covering mine. I'd be mortified if anyone caught us right now. As dangerous as this was, I didn't want him to stop.

This was the single most erotic moment of my life.

"Fuck, you are so beautiful" He growled as he looked down to me "You're so wet…" My head rolled back against the wall as he continued to pleasure me. My fingers wrapped around his arm and my nails dug into his firm bicep. "Look at me, Anastasia"

I did as he said. I looked up at him and stared into his gorgeous grey eyes. I could feel my body tensing. It was a strange feeling. I could feel my body building, and building. "Don't stop" I whisper to him. My body was reaching its peak. It felt so good "Oh my god…"

"That's it, Baby" He held me as I experienced what I think is my first orgasm. My body shook and I moaned out. Christian kissed me hard and didn't stop pleasuring me with his fingers. The sensation was over-whelming. It made me feel weak; it also made me feel like I was on cloud nine. I didn't want it to stop.

I wrapped my hands in his hair and pulled him in closer to me. I moved my hands down from his hair to the waistband of his jeans. I want him right here. I don't care if we're in a nightclub. I don't care where we are, I just want him.

"Fuck me" I whisper to him.

"I…" He swallows hard.

I manage to undo the button of his jeans "I want you, Christian. I want to be with you" I thought that was what he wanted. I told him to fuck me. Why was he hesitating? "Don't you want me?"

"I do. I want you so _fucking_ badly" He removed my hands from his jeans He stepped away from me "I am not going to fuck you in a dirty nightclub. You deserve better than that"

He holds his hand out to me "What do you want to do, Anastasia?"

Without a moment of hesitation, I took his hand in mine.

* * *

 **This chapter was surprisingly hard to write. I wrote the nightclub scene in multiple POV's before I was happy with it. So...**

 **They're finally going home together!**

 **Do you think they'll finally have sex!?**

 **What do you think of jealous Christian?**

 **Let me know what you think :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **Just to clear up one thing; No, Ana is not a virgin. I know some people were confused about that.**

 **Now on with the chapter that I know so many of you are waiting for...**

 **Enjoy ;)**

* * *

Chapter 8

 _What am I doing?_

 _Am I really going to do this?_

 _Should I do this?_

 _I am going to have sex with Christian Grey…_

I held his hand tightly as we exit the club. People moved out of Christian's way when he strode past. My eyes scanned the crowds and I tried to look for Kate, I couldn't see her. I didn't want her to worry about me or where I was. I pulled my phone out of my bra where I kept it. I sent her a quick text to let her know where I was,

 _Going home with Christian. Will talk in the morning. X_

I hope she doesn't think I am some kind of skank for going home with another man. I am no longer in denial of what I want. I know that I want to be with Christian. The only thing that had been holding me back was Jose. I had now come to the conclusion that Jose and I were finished. I wasn't going back to that marriage, especially after tonight.

We left the club and I saw Christian's familiar security guard, Jason Taylor. He was standing outside of a dark SUV. He nodded to Christian and opened the passenger door. Christian nodded for me to step inside. I did as gracefully as I could in my short dress.

I heard Christian say to Taylor "Take us to the Fairmont…actually…drive around the block a few times and then take us to The Fairmont. Anastasia and I will be…busy"

"Yes, sir"

Christian stepped into the back of the SUV and slammed the door shut behind him. He was on me in a heartbeat. His hands wrapped into the back of my hair and pulled me to him. I wanted this to continue, but I couldn't get over the fact that just past the privacy screen was Jason Taylor.

I place my hands on his chest and push away from him. "I can't…not here…" I nod to the privacy screen "He can hear us" I whisper.

Christian tips his head back and laughs "No, he can't. Even if he could, he wouldn't listen. Taylor is very discreet, Anastasia" He gently cups my face in his hand "Do you have any idea how crazy you make me? How much you've changed me? I have never felt for a woman the way I feel for you"

"You don't have to try and charm me to get in my pants" I smile and then lean into his lips to gently kiss him "I already told you that I want you, Christian"

"I am not trying to charm you. It's true, Anastasia. You are changing me in every way"

I didn't want to talk. I instead kissed him to show him what I wanted. I shifted my body until I was on his lap straddling him. His hands wrapped around the back of my thighs and pulled me in closer to him as we kissed. I ran my hands through the ends of his soft copper hair. His hands began to move up the back of my thighs and under my red dress.

His lips moved to my neck causing me to moan. His hands continued to move up my body. They moved over the curve of my hip. He pushed the dress up my body and then pulled it off me. He threw it aside. "I never want you to wear that dress in public again"

"It's not my dress"

"Yes it is. That dress was made for you, Anastasia"

Our clothes began to fall off with ease. I wasn't awkward or nervous around Christian. He didn't touch me like he was a scared little boy. He knew what he was doing, and that helped me a lot when it came to my nerves. He looked at me as if I was the most beautiful thing in the world.

He shifted out of his jeans and my eyes almost fell out of my head as I took him in. I wasn't very experienced when it came to the male's body, but I didn't need experience to know that Christian Grey was _very_ well endowed. He saw me staring and his lips rose up in a smirk. I quickly diverted my eyes. I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks from embarrassment.

I could hear Kate's voice inside my head telling me " _Don't be weird, Steele. Don't be awkward"_

I move my hands from his hair, down his shoulders, his strong chest, and his chiselled abbs. I nervously move my fingers into the waistband of his black briefs. He quickly wraps his hands around my wrists, stopping me from pulling down his briefs.

"We don't have to do this, Anastasia…" He tells me "I don't want you to wake up tomorrow and regret this-"

I kiss him to shut him up. I want to do this. I am not going to regret it. "Christian, I want to do this"

"Are you sure?"

I smile and nod my head. I go to kiss him again, but he quickly flips me over. I squeal as my back hits the leather seat of the car. Christian takes my hands and pins them above my head with his arm. He smiles down to me and it makes my heart beat faster. He has a beautiful smile.

"You are so beautiful" He says as he looks over my body. "You have a beautiful body, Anastasia. I don't want you to ever feel shy about it. Your body is…perfect"

He kisses me hard, his free hand moved down my body until they stopped at my bare cotton panties. I wish I wore something sexier. He begins to kiss down my neck and then my chest. He continued to kiss down my body. He kissed my stomach and then my navel. I let out a shaky breath as his lips kept moving south. He tugs my panties down my thighs, and then down my legs. He throws them over his shoulder somewhere.

He had a condom in his wallet. He ripped it open with his teeth before pulling out the clear rubber. I watched as he pulled down his briefs. I saw his naked body for the first time…and he was beautiful. It seemed unreal for a man to look like him. He was too perfect. There had to be something wrong with him, like a mole in an ugly spot or maybe he had a super hairy back. Nope, he was perfect.

He skilfully rolled the condom on. He covered my body with his "Are you sure you want this? There is no turning back past this point. Tell me what you want me to do, Anastasia. I'll stop if you're not comfortable with this"

I take his handsome face in my hands and I kissed him as my answer. That was all he needed. He wrapped my thighs around his hips and with one hard thrust, he was inside me. We both called out as we came together for the first time. My body struggled to take in his size, I felt like a virgin all over again. "Wait…" I whisper to him "You're so big…

Once my body had relaxed, I nodded for him to continue. My hands wrapped into the back of his hair as his lips moved down to my neck. His hips began to move at a gentle pace. He was gentle with me, he treated me as if I were a fragile thing that was about to break. I didn't want that. I didn't want him to be scared of hurting me.

"Harder" I tell him. He did what I asked. His hips began to speed up. His lips were rough on my neck. His fingers dug into my thighs "Oh, fuck…that feels…ohhh"

"You like this, baby?"

"Yes, just like that. Oh god, don't stop"

My head rolled back as another moan came from my lips. My hands moved down his masculine body. I could feel every ripped muscle working as he filled me, over and over again. I can feel my body tightening. I can feel myself building to that extraordinary release again. _Is it possible to have two orgasms in one night?_

"That's it, Baby" He says in a hoarse whisper "I can feel you tightening around me. Look at me, Anastasia. Say my name"

My eyes fly open to stare into his grey ones just as my body finds its release. "Christian" I say his name "Yes…oh my god…Christian" My orgasm was just as intense as the first one, maybe even more intense. My body quivered beneath his and my fingers fisted into his soft hair.

I begin to come to my senses again. Christian's pace only quickens. "Uggh" He lets out a guttural groan. It sounded animalistic. It was sexy. I watch as he loses control. His jaw clenches. I can hear his breath become harsher and erratic. He throws his head back and with one more hard thrust inside me, he let go "Fuck. Fucking hell, Anastasia"

He fell forward over my body as his body trembled. He slowly began to relax and come to his senses. His grey eyes stared down into mine. "God" He says "What're you doing to me, Ana?" His lips press to mine again. Our bodies were both slick with sweat as they came together. He says against my lips "I don't think I am ever going to get enough of you"

I gently run my hands down his chest. I feel his strong abbs. My hands continue to move further south, but I am interrupted by a vibrating…then the sound of a phone ringing. I realize that it is my phone that is ringing.

"Shit" I say as I awkwardly rummage my hand through Christian and I's clothes on the ground. I don't know where my phone is. Christian removes himself from me. He sits up and reaches behind him. He hands me my phone "Thankyou" I say as I take it. I sit up and look down to the screen; I see it is my mother calling.

I don't want to talk to her right now. I just had great sex in the back of an SUV with a man who isn't Jose. It'd be awkward to talk to her and try to hold a conversation with her while I am sitting here naked and breathless. So, I instead decline her call.

"You can answer it" Christian says as he removes the used condom. He reaches for his briefs.

"No" I shake my head "It's just my mother. I don't really want to talk to her right now. If I answer it, she'll keep me on the phone for hours. She loves to talk. She is a chatter-box. You can never shut her up"

Christian smirks "Well now I know where you get it from"

* * *

What had he just done?

Christian sits on the side of bed late at night. His head was in his hands. His fingers were running through his hair, pulling on the ends of it. Behind him he could hear Ana sleeping peacefully. Christian had yet to fall asleep. He couldn't stop thinking and worrying.

 _What the fuck did I just do?_

He just slept with a married woman. He didn't care about the fact that she had a partner. He couldn't care less about Jose Rodriguez and how he'd feel about this. No, he was worrying about what Ana would do next. There was no way that Christian could go on with his life and forget about her. There was no way that he could go back to life without Ana. There was no going back now.

There is a very good chance that she will wake up in the morning and regret what she had just done. She'd walk out and leave Christian. She'd return home to her husband and want nothing to do with Christian. He was petrified of that happening.

There were so many things that she didn't know about Christian, would she still want him after she found out about those things?

Taylor had driven them to the hotel. Christian and Ana struggled to get dressed in the back of the SUV. Christian wanted to have a round two with her, but sadly he had only one condom in his wallet. Once they'd arrived at The Fairmont, Ana was confused. She didn't understand why Christian had brought her here and not to his apartment "You live _here_?"

"No" Christian didn't want to take Ana back to his apartment. That place was haunted with Christian's dark past. He rarely ever spent time at that place "My apartment is currently under renovation" He tells her. He places a hand on the small of her back and leads her into The Fairmont lobby.

"Oh…" She sounded like she realized something "So, that's why you brought rope and duct-tape the night we met. I always thought it was creepy. I thought you were a serial killer or something"

Christian frowned "And yet you still went on a date with me?"

Ana shrugged her shoulders with a playful smirk on her lips.

He gave Taylor the rest of the night off. He knew he wasn't going to be leaving the bedroom with Ana. He hadn't had his full of her yet. He led her up to his penthouse suite and she had been amazed by it. Her eyes went wide and her mouth fell open as she took in the modern suite.

"Wow" She whispered "This place is…beautiful. It's huge as well"

"Do you want something to drink?"

She shakes her head "I…I think I've had enough to drink tonight" She had gone shy again. He found her shyness cute, but he found her rare confidence sexy. Who was he kidding; everything about Ana was sexy to Christian.

She stepped forward and took his hands in hers. She bit down on her lip before she spoke "I…I don't want anything to drink, or eat. I just want you, Christian"

He didn't need to be told twice. He took her face in his hands and kissed her. He picked her up and carried her down the short hallway to the master bedroom. He kicked off his shoes on the way before throwing her down on the bed. She began to pull at his clothes to get them off him. She wanted this as much as he did.

He pulled her dress off. She ripped his shirt off. She eagerly took off her bra and he did the same to his pants. He pulled her panties down her legs. He couldn't go any further. He had to stop himself. With an annoyed groan, he pulled away from Ana "Wait" He says against her soft lips "We can't…"

Her face fell "We can't?" She was disappointed. She looked down between them to Christian's crotch. With a smile she reached out and rubbed her hand against the obvious erection in Christian's pants. He groaned out "But, you're still hard"

He has to physically remove himself from Ana. He sat up until he was kneeling between her long legs "Trust me that is not the issue" He reaches over to the bedside table and opens the draw "We need a condom. I doubt you want to get pregnant"

She quickly shook her head.

He rifled through the draw for a condom, but he couldn't find anything. He found useless pads of paper, pens, a phone charger, but no condom. He moved to the other draw but it was empty. He swore out loud and climbed off the bed. He marched into the bathroom and began to look through each and every draw. There had to be one somewhere.

"Have you found one!?" Ana called out.

"No…fuck"

He opens the cabinets beneath the sink. He had deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, razors, cologne, no fucking condoms. Of course he doesn't have any condoms! He never has sex outside of his Playroom. Elliot would be laughing if he were here, he was always telling Christian to "Put some in the car, in your wallet, in your shoe. You never know when you'll need them"

There was only one thing that Christian could do. He left the bathroom and Ana quickly sat up. She smiled "Found one?" Christian shook his head and she fell back on the bed with an annoyed huff. He grabbed his phone from his jeans and left the bedroom. He walked out to living space and speed dialled Taylor's phone.

"Yes, Mr. Grey?"

"I need you to pick something up for me" He told Taylor "I need condoms. Pronto"

"Yes, sir"

Christian had one more thing to ask Taylor "Did you…" He wasn't sure if he should ask him. He knew Anastasia wouldn't be happy if she found out "Did you finish the report on Jose Rodriguez?"

"Yes, sir. Would you like me to deliver it to you?"

He was tempted. He wanted to know every dirty secret that Jose Rodriguez had. Christian didn't know the man and he had no plans on meeting him. He knew very little about Jose, but there was something very _fishy_ about him. There was something not right. He had Anastasia as his wife, how could he take that for granted?

She is this beautiful, intelligent, kind, warm, beam of light. She is like an angel.

Jose may not be hiding anything; he may simply be an idiot who doesn't know how amazing Anastasia is.

"No" He tells Taylor "I don't want to read it. Just bring me the condoms"

He hung up the phone and returned to the bedroom. When he stepped through the doorway "I just called…" Anastasia had passed out. She was curled up on the bed quietly snoring as she slept. Christian crept into the room and gently moved her under the blankets. She stirred but soon fell back asleep.

Now it was early in the morning and Christian was still wide awake. He couldn't stop thinking about his possible future with Anastasia. He didn't know if he had one with her. He didn't want to lose her. It would kill him if he she chose to be with her husband. This was why he told himself to stay away from her; he never wanted to be put in this position.

He refused to share her with anyone, especially her husband. He wasn't going to be her side piece that she'd fuck whenever she wasn't happy with her husband. He had to figure out a way to make her stay with him.

He stands from the bed and steps out of the bedroom. He once again dials Taylor's number. He is more than likely asleep, so it takes him a minute to answer. When he does, he sounds groggy and tired "Yes, Mr. Grey?"

"I want that report on Jose Rodriguez"

"Ahh…" He seemed surprised "…Now?"

"No, I just want to know what is inside it. Is he hiding something from Mrs. Rodriguez?"

"Yes"

Christian knew it.

"What is it, Taylor?"

* * *

I could feel the sun shining down on my body. I slowly open my eyes. I am confused for a moment as I take in the bright room. I am not at home, and I am not at Kate's… _Ohhh…that's right. I had sex with Christian Grey last night_. No wonder I am so sore down _there_. I don't remember falling asleep last night. I must've passed out while he was looking for a condom.

A feel a smile spread over my lips as I think about last night. I arch my back and stretch my arms out as far as they can go. My hands connect with a warm body. I quickly look over and see Christian Grey staring me. _How long has he been watching me?_

"Good morning"

"How long have you been watching me sleep?"

He shrugs his shoulders "A few hours"

"What's the time?"

"Almost nine in the morning" Oh my god, I never sleep in that late. Christian smiles "I didn't have the heart to wake you up. How do you feel?"

"Sore" I bashfully say. I turn onto my side and hug the blankets to my bare chest. "I am sore…down there"

He raises a single eyebrow, his lips curve up in a sexy, sly smile "That's no good" He quickly rolls on top of me, making me squeal from his heavy weight. He takes my hands and pins them to the bed "I better inspect _down there_ and make sure you're okay. I may have to kiss you better"

I giggle and nod my head. He had a playful look in his eyes. I like this playful Christian. He kisses me hard before disappearing under the blankets. I feel him kiss down my stomach. He parts my thighs with his soft hands. I can't help but gasp when his fingers caress me. His thumb rubs against my clit.

His head pokes up from under the blankets "Yes, I am definitely going to have to kiss you better. I can't have you in pain all day. I have a lot more things planned for us…"

I giggle as he moves back down under the blankets. My giggling stops immediately once I feel his tongue on my clit. I had never been pleasure in this way before. It was a strange, but good feeling. I felt his fingers gently enter me. I moan out "Christian…"

His lips and fingers moved in unison. It was all so much. My hands moved into his hair and my hips rose off the bed to get closer to his lips. "Oh my god" I moan. His thumb begins to rub my clit; his tongue was between my folds. "Don't stop…I am going to – Oh fuck!"

I lifted myself until I was leaning on my forearms. My fingers fisted into the bedsheets as his fingers sped up. My body was beginning to tense. My toes curled. My back arched. My head was thrown back. I felt my body building and building to that sweet release. I quivered and my hips bucked off the bed as my body gave in to the delicious feeling.

"Christian…oh…" I relaxed into the bedsheets as I come off my high. Christian's fingers slowed down. I felt him kiss the inside of my thighs, then my stomach. His lips continued up my body until they were on mine again.

"Do you feel better now?" His hand continues to gently rub and caress me.

I nod "Ah huh, much better"

He parts my lips with his, our tongues come together. I can taste myself on his tongue. With my legs wrapped around his thighs, I turn him onto his back until I am straddling him. His hands move up my thighs to rest on my behind. I pull away from the kiss and smile down to him. I am not sure if it was the three orgasms I experienced in the past twenty-four hours, or the fact that I was in bed with Christian…but I was giddy with happiness. I couldn't stop smiling.

"So, what do you have planned for us today?" I ask him. I fold my arms on his chest and rest my head on them. I look into his beautiful eyes. I will never get over how beautiful his eyes are.

His fingers slowly begin to move up and down my back, causing me to shiver "Hmm…" He thinks "How does a day full of lots and lots of sex sound?"

"Amazing" He smiles but I can see that there is something worrying him "What's wrong?"

He shakes his head "Why would anything be wrong?"

I shrug my shoulders "You seem worried. You don't have to lie to me, Christian. You can talk to me…"

He is silent for a moment before he says "I don't want you to go"

"I don't plan on leaving. I was looking forward to a day of sex" I brush his hair off his forehead "And I don't plan on going home, either. Jose and I are finished. I am not going back to that relationship. I meant it when I said I wanted you, Christian"

"I-"

My phone starts to ring again. Christian looks over to where it laid on the ground. I awkwardly reached down to the ground and picked it up. I was surprised when I saw Jose's name on the screen. I glance down to Christian who had also seen Jose's name. "Answer it" He tells me.

He moves from under me and gets off the bed. His playful, happy mood had vanished. I press answer on the phone and bring it to my ear "Hello?"

"Ana, it's Jose. There is a situation here at the house"

"What?"

"You need to come home" He said in a frustrated tone.

"Why? Jose I told you that I am staying with Kate for the weekend-"

"Ana, your mother is here. You need to come home"

* * *

 **It happened! They had sex! That was my first time writing a full on lemon so let me know what you think.**

 **So, what do you think Christian found out about Jose?**

 **Why do you think Carla showed up at the house?**

 **Let me know what you think is going to happen, I love reading your reviews!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **Oh my god, we passed 200 reviews! You guys are amazing and I am so happy that you're enjoying this story.**

 **Mind any spelling or grammar mistakes, I didn't have much time to edit.**

 **Now on with the story...**

* * *

Chapter 9

I rush around the hotel room looking for my other heel. I was going to show up at the house with my dress on from last night. My hair was probably a mess; I didn't even want to look at my makeup. I am sure I have mascara running down my cheeks and lipstick smudged on my skin. If Jose or my mother asks, I'll tell them that I went out with Kate and a few girlfriends…I'd leave out the part where I went home with Christian.

I find my other high heel hiding under the bed. I sit on the bed and put them on. Christian was standing in the doorway of the bathroom watching me. He was only in his briefs. His arms were folded against his chest as he stared at me. He had gone back to being grumpy Christian Grey. He was no longer the playful, happy man that I was in bed with less than ten minutes ago.

"Taylor will drive you home" Christian tells me. I stand off the bed and pull my red dress down to cover myself "He'll pick up your car and deliver it to your home-"

"I can drive Wanda home. Remember, I am a big girl"

Mr. Sexy and Serious was back. He didn't react to my teasing. He stared at me with a straight face. I should've known he'd act this way. Happy, playful, Christian didn't stay around for long.

"I don't want you to drive _Wanda_ home. You might still have alcohol in your system from last night. Also, the car is about to fall apart and I don't think it is safe for you to drive. Taylor will drive you home"

"One, I am not drunk. I feel perfectly fine. Two, I have been driving _Wanda_ since I started college. If she was going to break down, it would've happened years ago!"

"Anastasia, please don't fight me on this. I don't feel comfortable with you driving that car. Leave it at that" He takes a step forward. "Do you always have to be so stubborn?"

"Yes" I say with a small smile. I playfully poke his bicep "And I think you secretly like it. You're surrounded by yes-men, you love having someone who tells you no"

I can see him trying to hold back a smile. He raises a single eyebrow as he looks at me "Really?"

I nod my head "Yes" I get on my tippy toes and lean into his lips. I whisper to him "You love it, Christian Grey"

He went to kiss me but I pulled away from him. I knew that if I kissed him right now, I would just fall back into bed with him. That wasn't a good idea. I quickly kissed his cheek and stepped away. I wasn't going to fight him about _Wanda_. Truthfully, I would get home faster if Taylor drove me.

I left his bedroom and together we walked out into the open living area. I could see Taylor standing by the lift. He nodded to Christian and I. I turned back to Christian to tell him goodbye. I didn't know what to say. I had never spent the night at a man's house and then had to leave the next morning. This was all so new to me.

"I am sorry I have to leave so soon" I tell him "I don't know what my mother wants. She does this all the time. She pops up at random times. It is probably nothing. Bob, her husband is probably on some Golf Tour and she is lonely. I haven't seen her since Christmas so she is probably going to lecture me and…"I realize that I am rambling. My cheeks go red "…sorry"

He smiles "I put my number in your phone while you were sleeping"

Of course he did. I don't think he understood boundaries.

"I want you to call that number if you need anything, Anastasia"

I nod and kiss his cheek one more time. I needed to get home before my mother started asking questions about where I was. "I should go" I tell him "Thank you for an amazing night"

I wave a quiet goodbye before stepping onto the elevator. I can see in Christian's eyes that he doesn't want me to go. I wish I could stay, but I had to deal with my marriage, and my mother. I was going to end things with Jose, it was the least I could do after last night. I don't know what I do after I tell him I want to separate. Do I need to get a lawyer? Do I need to file for a divorce? How do I file for divorce?

I don't know what to do.

I sit in the back of the SUV fiddling with the end of my dress. I was beyond nervous to go home. What will they think when they see me in clubbing attire? They're going to have questions and I wasn't sure what I would say. I wasn't sure if I was going to tell my mum about Christian. I'd love to gossip with her about this man that I met who I am falling head over heels for. I'd love to gush about him to her.

I needed to take my mind away from my worrying thoughts. I decided that the only way I could do that was to spark a conversation with Jason Taylor. He had the privacy screen down and his eyes focused on the road. The radio was quietly playing classical music.

I braced forward on the leather seat "So, how long have you worked with Christian?"

His eyes meet mine in the rear-view mirror briefly "I have worked for Mr. Grey for almost eight years, ma'am"

"Eight years" I am impressed "So, what is your job exactly. What does Christian Grey's security do?"

"I am Head of Security at GEH. Basically, I am in charge of all the other guards that are under Grey's employment, whilst also being the on-call CPO for Mr. Grey"

"It must be exciting being a security guard"

Jason Taylor smiles and shakes his head "We get the odd death threat here and there, but mainly things are quiet in Mr. Grey's life. That's the way we like it. The most exciting thing we do these days is background checks or turning away pesky reporters who show up at Grey House"

"What's Grey House?"

"It is Mr. Grey's office building. We'll be passing it shortly on your left"

I quickly turned my attention to my left window. It was hard to tell any of the glass skyscrapers apart, they all looked the same to me…But then I saw it. It towered over any of the other office buildings. On the front in bold letters was **Grey House**. It was intimidating and dominating, just like Christian Grey.

"Wow" I whisper to myself "That's so…tall. It's impressive"

"Yes, Mr. Grey is a very impressive young man. He has accomplished a lot in his years"

* * *

My mother Carla Adams was a confusing woman. She was someone who lived behind a friendly smile and never really said what she was feeling. She liked to live in La La Land and believe that everything was fine and perfect. She liked to think that nothing was wrong, and if something was wrong it was never her fault. I love her, I really do, but sometimes she could get under my skin.

I arrived home by ten in the morning to find her in the kitchen making pancakes. Jose was sitting at the breakfast table looking uncomfortable as my mother made small talk with him about the Hardware Store. Neither of them heard nor saw me approaching. I stood in the archway and watched the two awkwardly interact with each other.

Jose was the one who spotted me "You're home"

He wasn't even pretending to be happy to see me. Was he still mad that I decided to spend the weekend with Kate?

"Ana!" My mother quickly pulled me into a tight embrace. I probably smelt of vodka and sex. It wasn't a good combination. I desperately needed to shower. Mum pulled away and looked my outfit up and down "What in god's name are you wearing? I swear I can see your bum-cheeks in that dress!"

"It's nice to see you too…"

"Ana, where have you been? I called you last night to tell you I was in town and you didn't answer. I arrived this morning and Jose tells me you're spending the weekend in the city with Kate. I came to see you, sweetheart"

"I didn't realize you were coming"

Carla sighs "Well you would've if you picked up your phone last night"

I know that she has only the best intentions, but she is exhausting to deal with. The last thing I want right now is to be lectured by my mother about where I was last night. I am not sixteen. Even when I was sixteen, I was never going out and getting drunk.

"You should go shower" She tells me "You look like you just rolled out of bed. I doubt you've eaten. It's a good thing I am making breakfast"

My eyes met with Jose's for a moment. He quickly looked away from me and stood from the breakfast table. I could see he was still angry with me. I thought I'd feel guilty when I saw him, but I don't. I don't regret what I did last night, and I don't feel guilty about it. I wouldn't do things differently if I had the chance. Does that make me a horrible person?

"I need to go to the store" He says.

"What? No, you need to stay for breakfast!" My mother says with a happy smile on her lips "I would like to catch up with both of you. I feel like I haven't seen you in forever"

"I have things to do, Carla" Jose looks down to his watch "I have a shipment coming in at twelve-"

"Well, that gives us two hours to catch up. Sit down, Jose. You're not running out on me that easily. Now tell me, how has everything with your business studies been going?"

I tried to prolong my shower for as long as possible. I took my time washing my hair and body. When I ran the soap over my sensitive skin, I could picture Christian's lips on me. I could picture his hands touching me. I could picture what it felt like when he was inside me…

Stepping out of the shower, I felt clean and refreshed. I changed into jeans and a simple shirt. I gave myself a prep talk in the mirror before walking back down the hall and joining my mother and Jose. She had a stack of pancakes sitting in the middle of the table. I sat down and served myself one. I could feel the tension in the room the minute I sat down, my mother seemed oblivious to it, though.

She asked me about life and there was nothing new that I could tell her. I couldn't tell her about Christian when Jose was sitting right there. She asked me about Kate and how she is, I told her about Elliot Grey and how the pair seemed happy together. I asked her about Bob and I got the answer that I was expecting.

"We're good. He is actually in San Diego right now with his buddies. I couldn't stand listening to him blabber on about golf for a week. I thought I should come here and visit you instead. You know that I didn't mean to drop in unannounced. It was all a very spare of the moment thing"

I seriously doubted that her visiting was spare of the moment.

I nod "Where are you planning on staying?"

"Here!" She reaches across the table and grasps my hand. I big smile spreads over her face "It will be wonderful, Ana. Of course if you don't want me to stay, then I can always find somewhere else…"

I can't tell my mother no, and she knows that. "Of course you can stay here. Jose and I don't mind"

Carla claps her hands and cheers "This is going to be so much fun"

Jose finishes his plate of pancakes. He stands from the breakfast table and smiles to my mother. "Thank you for breakfast, Carla. I should really get going. I have a lot to do at the store"

"Of course" She says "We'll catch up tonight. Jose. I have a surprise for you and Ana"

Jose looked to me, I went to say goodbye but he was already walking away. Yep, he is definitely mad at me for spending the weekend with Kate. My mother seemed oblivious to his anger; she instead smiled to me and said "He is such a hard worker, Ana. You really lucked out with that one"

After breakfast, I helped her clean up the plates. She was telling me all about this Chick Flick that she wanted to see at the cinema. She also wanted us to go to the salon to get a Mani and Pedi sometime this week. The whole time that she was telling me her plans, I couldn't help but be disappointed. If she is here, then I can't talk to Jose about our marriage. He and I are going to have to go on pretending as if we're happy.

It's only a week. Once Bob is done in San Diego, she will go home and then Jose and I will sit down and discuss our future.

* * *

My day with my mother had been mostly uneventful. We spent the day gossiping about our lives. She told me all about the new neighbours moved in next door and how much she disliked them. I listened as she bitched about a woman named Charlotte Jorge. Apparently she was a gold-digging tramp who was stealing everyone's husbands. I could see my mother had a strong hatred for her. The way she talked about her made me laugh. It was nice to talk to her again and laugh with her. As much as she annoys me and gets under my skin; at the end of the day she is my mother and I do love her.

We had dinner which consisted of boxed wine and her classic chicken stir-fry. We sat in the lounge room and ate together, we listened to _Aretha Franklin_. Bob called her and she disappeared into the spare room to talk to him. I cleaned up our mess from dinner. I was washing the dishes in the sink when I heard Jose's truck pull up. A moment later he was walking down the hall.

"Hi" He grumbled as he threw his keys onto the kitchen bench. He started walking down the hall towards the bedroom.

"Jose!" I call out after him. He ignores me and continues walking "Jose, can you please stop and talk to me! Why are you so angry with me? Is this about me spending the weekend with Kate?"

He shakes his head and mumbles "As if you don't know"

"I don't!" I throw my arms up in anger "I am not a mind reader either!"

Jose takes a step forward. His eyes were locked on mine as he approached. "Tell me where you were last night" He says in low voice "Look me in the eyes and tell me where you were, Ana"

"I was…"

"With Kate?" He asks "Is that what you're going to tell me. You are going to look me in the eyes and tell me you were with Kate!?"

 _Does he know I was with Christian?_

"I…" I don't know what to tell him. I panic and I can't get any words out.

Jose digs into his back pocket and pulls his phone out. He taps on the screen a few times before aggressively shoving it my way. "Are you going to lie to me and tell me you were with Kate last night?" I look down to the phone in my hands. _Oh no._ I feel like I am about to be sick. He was never meant to see this. _Oh no, oh no_.

I stare at the phone in my hands and see the text message that was meant to be sent to Kate. I didn't send it to her, though. _This is bad. This is really, really, bad_. On the phone was a message from me that read;

 _Going home with Christian. Will talk in the morning. X_

I look up into Jose's angry eyes. He knew where I was last night; he knew what I had been doing. I no longer felt so happy about it, I now felt dirty. He was never meant to see that message. I never meant to send it to him. I was never going to tell him I slept with Christian Grey…But now he knows.

"Jose…I-"

"Save it" He takes his phone back "I don't want to hear you apologize"

I am not sorry that I slept with Christian, I am sorry that Jose found out about it.

"I know it's not an excuse, but I never mean for you to see that. I meant to send it to Kate. I know it doesn't excuse what happened. I didn't go to Seattle thinking that I was going to see Christian. He just showed up and one thing led to another. I don't even know what to say to make things better. There is probably nothing I can say and…"

I realize that I am rambling. I take a breath. I look down to my shaking hands "I don't want to hurt you, Jose. I didn't do it to hurt you. I am sorry you saw that message…"

His hands were clenched by his side. His jaw locked. He was angry, but more than that, he was hurt. I didn't know what to say to make this better. There was nothing that could be said right now. Jose knew that and he turned away to walk to the archway. He stopped in his tracks before he reached the door. He turned around and faced me again "I know that we don't have the best marriage, but I was never unfaithful to you!"

"I know that we're not happy. I know that you're not happy. I am sorry that I can't be the man that you want me to be…but I was always loyal and committed to you! We had a simple, easy, life. Things were looking up for us after we got the money. We could've worked through our issues!"

Could we have worked through our issues? Did I give up on us too quickly?

He yells at me "You never tried to be happy! You hated that Hardware Store from the beginning and you never tried!"

"I was there every night, Jose!" I yell back at him "I tried to make you happy. I tried my hardest to make us happy. You didn't want to be happy with me. You were never satisfied with me. You were never interested in me!"

"That is bullshit"

"Is it?" I could feel tears burning at my eyes. I didn't want to cry in front of him, but I couldn't stop the tears. "You were never interested in me. You say that passion and spark doesn't exist, but it does! I know it does because…because I feel it with Christian. I watch Kate and her boyfriend Elliot, I see how happy they are and it reminds me that we were never like that!"

My voice shakes as I cry "You never looked at me like that. You never touched me like that. You never made love to me like that. We were best friends. I considered you like a brother to me at one point. We were so close. I love you, but we were never _in love_. We should never have gotten married!"

"Is that what you think!?" I can hear his voice crack as he yells at me "You think that I never tried to be happy with you!? My father had just died when we got married; of course I wasn't going to be happy. I had just inherited a Hardware Store and a house. I didn't have time to try and make you happy when I was struggling to keep us afloat. All those hours I put into the store, all those long nights I spent studying, it was for you!"

"I worked hard because I knew you didn't want to work at that _fucking_ store. I wanted to make enough money so that way you didn't have to spend the next sixty years there. You could stay at home and be a mum and-"

" _Be a mum!?"_ I yell "You think I wanted to sit on my ass all day and be a housewife for sixty years. You think I was happy to sit around and pop out your children. Do you think that's what I want!? I want a career, Jose. I want to wake up every morning knowing that I am doing something that I am passionate about. I wanted to do that with you!"

"Life doesn't work that way, Ana" Jose shakes his head "I have a responsibility to my father-"

"He is dead!" I snap. "He has been dead for almost two years. You owe him nothing, Jose. He wouldn't want you to waste your talents and your life here. He wouldn't want the store to come between our marriage. He would want us happy and-"

"This is exactly what he wanted. He wanted me to get married and have a wife. He wanted me to have children. He wanted me to grow up and be a man. He wanted me to stop chasing my pathetic dream in photography. You didn't know him like I knew him, Ana!"

He is right; I didn't know Jose Sr. like that. The man I knew had been a happy, laughing, charismatic man. He had never been happy about Jose going to college to study photography. He always thought it was a waste of money and he never minded voicing his opinions about it. The more I think about it, the more I realize how strained Jose and his father's relationship had been.

Jose always felt pressured by his father to "be a man". He almost dropped out of his photography classes because he was being pressured to study engineering. Jose was always a different person around his father. I never realized or noticed it until now.

"This is exactly what he wanted for us" Jose repeats "He would've wanted us to move into his home and take on the family business. I am doing what he wanted, Ana-"

"Jose, you're home! I was wondering when you'd get back. I have a special present for you and Ana" I hear my mother's perky voice as she enters the room. She must pick up on the tension right away. Her smile slowly fades as she looks at us. "Is everything okay?"

"Fine" I nod my head.

"I am sorry I can't stay, Carla" Jose tells her. He grabs his keys off the kitchen bench. "I hope you and Ana have a nice week together"

I hear him stomp down the hallway, a moment later the front door opens and then slams shut. The slamming of the door makes me jump. My mother is confused; she doesn't know what to say. I don't want to talk about what happened, I just want to go to bed.

I step past her and walk towards the hallway. Her hand wraps around my bicep and stops me "Ana, are you okay?"

"Fine"

"Are you crying?" I shake my head. I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from crying. I try to shrug her hand away, but she isn't letting go of me. "Sweetheart, talk to me. I am your mother, you can talk to me!" She turns me until I am looking into her blue eyes. We shared the same eyes. "Did you and Jose have a fight?"

I nod my head.

She smiles and nods "Oh, every married couple fights. I wouldn't be so worried about it. He'll probably be home by tomorrow morning and you'll forget all about it-"

"No, Mum, he is not coming home"

"What do you mean?"

"I…I think we just broke up…for good"

* * *

 **So, do you think Carla is here only to see Ana...or is she here for other reasons?**

 **Ana and Jose are finally separating!**

 **Do you think Ana is going to tell Carla about Christian?**

 **Review and let me know what you think :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **Since this is chapter 10 I made it extra long. Again, I didn't have much time to edit so mind any spelling or grammar mistakes.**

 **Now on with the story...**

* * *

Chapter 10

If anyone was going to help me through mine and Jose's marital problems, it was my mother. Carla Adams had been divorced twice, and married four times. My biological father was her first husband. He died when I was a baby. I don't know the man; to me he is a stranger. Raymond Steele is my father, and also my mother's second husband. She claimed to be a hopeless romantic who loved being in love, but I think it had less to do with being in love, and more about not being alone.

Together we sat in the kitchen. I had my head in my hands as I struggled to control my emotions. My mother was gently rubbing my back and trying to comfort me as I broke down. There was two years' worth of frustrations, hurt, and anger that was finally coming out.

"Ana, Jose is a nice boy. He hasn't mistreated you, has he?"

I shake my head quickly "No, Mum. We're just not happy. We don't talk. We're not intimate with each other. We spend no time together. I can't even remember the last time we kissed or hugged. Ever since Jose Sr. died, Jose has been depressed and he doesn't want to be happy"

"Well…" My mother thinks for a moment "Maybe you should give him an ultimatum?"

I lift my head to look her in the eyes. She hands me a Kleenex to wipe my running nose "Like what?"

"Like…"She is thinking "He has to get help, or you will leave him. Your father and I visited a therapist before we divorced. I don't think you should give up on this relationship so easily; you should try to fix it. You don't want to file for divorce and then realize you've made a huge mistake. You will regret it, Ana. You don't meet men as hard-working and loyal as Jose all the time. Trust me, they're hard to find"

She I am confident that if I divorce him, I won't regret it. I don't want to be twenty-three and already divorced. I don't want to be like my mother and have four marriages under my belt. I had two options right now; I could divorce Jose, or I could make things work with him. My choice was simple.

My mother reaches for my hand and grasps it tightly "I know a wonderful therapist in Seattle who could help you. He helped your father and I-"

"How did he help you? You still divorced my father?"

"Yes…it didn't work in the end, but I think it could help you and Jose"

I don't want to be with Jose. I know that. I know what I want for my future, and it doesn't involve Jose. I need my mother to realize that "Mum…"

Carla quickly sits up "Just listen" She tells me "I have experience when it comes to marriage and divorce. You're angry at him right now, and you're upset but you should wait before you make any decision. I don't think anything good can come from you and Jose divorcing"

I hear my phone vibrating on the table. I reach for it and see a text from Kate. Oh god, I was meant to message her and tell her where I was. I haven't spoken to her since last night. I was meaning to message her today but with everything going on, I forgot. I will text her later and let her know that I was home again.

I put my phone aside and turn my attention back to my mother. "Mum, Jose wants to focus all his attention on the store. He wants to dedicated our life to the store. He wants me to either work at the store or be a housewife. I don't want either of those things. In five years I want a career in publishing. I want an apartment in the city. I want a group of friends that I go out with on Friday night. I want to travel the world!"

"You give that life up when you get married. It's not all about you anymore. You have to consider what your partner wants and-"

"I have! I have put him first for the past two years!" I stand from the small round table. I look down to my mother "I want to be selfish. I want to do things for me. I don't want to be tied down in a relationship that is going nowhere…"

"You're going to regret this, Anastasia" My mother stood up to stare into my eyes "You're too young to understand this. You don't have the life experience to understand the gravity of the decision that you're making. You should listen to someone who knows what they're talking about. You will regret this!"

I want to scream at her that I won't regret this. I want her to understand that I am serious about my decision. Even if I did want to make this relationship work, I don't think Jose did. Due to my carelessness, he knows that I spent the night with Christian. I doubt that he wants anything to do with me right now.

The best thing I can do is just go to bed. I don't want to get into a fight with my mother. "It's getting late. I should go to bed"

"Okay, Sweetheart" She smiles and nods her head "We'll talk in the morning"

 _Great._

* * *

I knew what I wanted and now I needed to get it. I didn't know where to start when it came to separating or divorcing someone, I need my mother's help with that. I have to hope that she will help me and not try to change my mind. I need to find a job in the city, and find somewhere to stay.

Since I couldn't sleep, I sat up in bed with my laptop on my lap. I was looking over my resume. I updated it and tried to make it look appealing. I found the website of a publishing company based in Seattle. There was only one here in Washington. There were smaller companies based all over America that I could apply for. I emailed my resume to the company _Seattle Independent Publishing_. I may not hear anything back from them, or I might get a job. It was worth trying.

Out of curiosity I searched for publishing companies around the world. There was multiple in Canada that I could apply to. There was also one in Australia. The one that caught my eyes though was a company based in London. It wasn't a big company, but they had signed some popular Young Adult Fiction books. The company was called _Michaelson's Publishing_. On the website I saw that they had an internship program. There was no harm in applying for it.

I shut the lid of my laptop and put it on the bedside table. I grabbed my phone and looked for Kate's number. It was ten at night and I hoped she'd still be awake. I needed to tell her about what happened between Christian and me last night.

I dialled her number. It rang, and rang. Finally she answered sounding breathless "Hello… _Elliot, get off me…_ Hello?"

"Kate?"

"Steele? Oh my god, where have you been? I have been worrying about you all day. Are you okay? Where are you?"

"At home. It's kind of a long story…"

I told her about leaving the club with Christian and going home with him as well. I told her about me having sex with him. I told her about my mother showing up at the house and me being forced to come home. I also told her about the text I sent to Jose and the fight we had. I told her about my mother trying to convince me to stay in the marriage. Thankfully, she listened to it all. She didn't mutter a word until after I was done.

After I finished, I heard her let out a breath and say "Well _, Shit_ "

"My thoughts exactly"

"So, you had crazy, hot, sex with Christian Grey in the back of an SUV…"

"Yes and why is that the part that you're focusing on?"

She laughs "Because it is so unlike you, Steele. I always knew you were a closeted freak, who'd have thought that Christian Grey would bring that out of you. Honestly, I always thought that he was asexual. He never seemed interested in sex…with anyone"

"What is _asexual?"_

"Oh you know, someone who isn't attracted to anyone. They don't crave sex with anyone. I did a story about it last month. I always thought that Christian fit the description of asexual perfectly"

"Well, he is not…at all. Can we get back on topic please? I need advice"

"No you don't"

"Yes, I do. That's the whole reason I am calling. I need your honest opinion. Do you think I am doing the right thing by divorcing Jose without trying therapy? My mother doesn't think so and-"

"And the last time I checked it was your name on the marriage certificate, not hers. You know what you need to do, Steele. You don't need someone to hold your hand and guide you through it. You know what you want" She tells me "Jose is like a band aid, it is better to just rip it off and get it over with. The longer you prolong it, the more it's going to hurt"

"Listen, I don't know much when it comes to marriage and divorce, but I do know you. You are my best friend, Steele. I want you to have the biggest, happiest, most fulfilled, life possible. If you think that you can have that with Jose, then I'll support you. No matter what you choose, I am here"

That's what I needed to hear to make this easier. My marriage is over, I know that. I need to rip Jose out of my life like the Band-Aid that he is. "I will support you; even if that means you want to be with Money-Bags. God, I can't stand him"

I laugh "He isn't that bad…"

"Maybe not to you. To the rest of the world he is a major ass" She laughs with me "I have to go, Elliot is getting antsy. Stop worrying so much, Steele. You know what you need to do"

* * *

My Sunday went by uneventfully. I stayed in with my mum and tried to talk to her about Jose. Every time I brought it up she'd shut me up by changing the subject. She'd remind me of how great Jose is and that I wouldn't find a man like him again. She was looking for any excuse for me to stay in the marriage. I realized that she didn't care if Jose and I were unhappy; all she cared about was me being married. She wanted to tell the women at the country club back home how her daughter is married, owns a house, and a business. She wanted to live in La La Land where everything is perfect.

I don't know how Bob puts up with her.

On Monday morning I woke up after dreaming about Christian. It wasn't a sex dream, it was just…a dream. He was dancing with me and his eyes were only on me in a room full of people. He told me how beautiful I was. He kissed me with so much passion, it made my knees weak. Then I woke up. I felt empty when I woke up. I missed him.

He told me I could call him if I needed _anything_.

I was hesitant about calling him. I didn't want to annoy him, but I really wanted to hear his voice. Even if we only talked for a few minutes, I'd be happy. I quickly tapped on his number without another minute of hesitation. I put my phone to my ear and listened to it ring.

My heart was racing in my chest.

After only two rings he answered in his cool, calm, controlled voice "Anastasia?"

"Hi…"I didn't know what I was going to say now. "…Are you busy?"

"No" He says "What's wrong?"

"Nothing" I can feel myself smiling. "I just wanted to talk to you"

"I hoped you'd call" His voice is low. It makes my insides melt when he talks in that sexy voice "I haven't been able to get you out of my head. You are making me a crazed man, Anastasia"

"Jose and I are done" I blurt out. I don't know why I am telling him, but I want him to know. "He walked out on Saturday night. He knew you and I were together and…it's a long story. Basically, he knows I spent the night with you and now we are done. At least I think we're done, we haven't really talked…Sorry, I am rambling again"

I hear him chuckle on the other side of the phone "You're lucky I find it so adorable"

"Adorable? I didn't think that was a word that Christian Grey knew" I tease him.

"It wasn't until I met you"

"You're so cheesy"

He is quiet for a moment "What did your mother want?"

I sigh "I don't know what she wants. I never know. She is staying for the week while her husband is San Diego. I have to stay here while she is here"

"I understand. I don't like it, but I understand. God, I wish you were here with me"

"I wish I was there with you. I know it's silly, but, I miss you"

He doesn't respond. It freaks me out because I think I have just scared him off by being too forward with him. Every moment that he doesn't answer, it freaks me out more and more. Finally, I hear his voice on the other end of the phone "I am coming over"

I sit up straight in bed "What?"

"I am coming over. Right now"

"You…You can't come here, Christian!" I panic "My mother is here. She doesn't know about you and I don't want to have that conversation with her right now. You can't come here, Christian"

"I'll be there in thirty minutes"

"Did you even listen to me!?"

"Yes, and I am not coming inside. I am not going to meet your mother" I can hear the sound of a car unlocking. "I have been going insane waiting for you to call me. I am not going to wait another week for your mother to leave. I am coming over"

He hangs up the phone leaving me speechless. I don't know what he wants to do considering that he doesn't want to come inside, yet he is coming over. God, he is confusing. I throw my legs out of bed and walk into the bathroom. I need to freshen up at least. I brush my teeth and gargle mouth wash. I brush through my long hair and decide to leave it out. I return to the bedroom and take off my ripped T-shirt. I put on a loose tank top instead. I looked at my bare, basic, cotton panties and decided to put on something sexier. The nicest underwear I owned was a pair of lace boyshorts that had been a gift from my aunt on my last birthday.

I put on a pair of loose Yoga pants. I wanted to look as if I had just rolled out of bed. I didn't want him to think that I put any effort into my look. I went into the bathroom and sprayed perfume onto my neck. I looked down to my hand and saw my wedding ring still sitting on my finger. I had already broken my vows to Jose so it didn't seem right to wear my ring. I pulled it off my finger. I put it in the bathroom cabinet beside a tube of toothpaste and Jose's sleeping pills.

From my bed I watched as a black car with tinted windows pulled up opposite my house. I knew it was Christian. I quietly crept out of the bedroom. I felt so naughty. I felt like a teenager sneaking out for the first time. I tip-toed down the hallway and quietly pushed open the door to the spare bedroom. My mother was fast asleep in bed snoring away.

With a smile, I snuck out the front door.

I walked across the street, my neighbour Patsy was on her front porch in her dressing gown. She was collecting her morning paper. I kept my head down and pretended that I hadn't seen her. She watched as I crossed the quiet street and got into the strange, black car.

"Morning" Christian says with a child-like smile. He seemed happy this morning. He was dressed in an expensive grey suit. It didn't matter what he was wearing, he always managed to look sexy. He could be only wearing a loin cloth, and he'd still have this effect on me…Actually, him in a loin cloth would be really sexy. He turns the keys in the ignition and I feel the car start "Sleep well?"

"Great…Where are you taking me?"

"I don't know" He shrugs his shoulders.

"Are you kidnapping me?"

He smirks "No" His grey eyes glance over to me "You got in the car willingly, Ana. Where do you want to go? We could go to breakfast? We could go back to _The Fairmont_? We could go to Italy?"

"Italy!?"

"Yep, anywhere in the world, Baby"

I smile "I think breakfast will be fine. Don't you have to work? You have that big company to run and millions of dollars to play with"

He shrugs his shoulders "It won't burn down if I take a day off"

We stopped at an IHOP. It was strange to see Christian sitting there in the booth with his tailored suit ordering a plate of pancakes. He looked so professional. I wish I had worn something nicer, or at least put on some makeup. He was in a very happy, playful mood. I loved this Christian…well…I loved this side of Christian. I can't be in love with a man I've only known for a month. Can I? I barely know him; yet, I feel more for him than I ever did for Jose. It's funny how that works.

The restaurant was mostly empty. There was an older man sitting at a table reading the newspaper. There was a father with his two sons at one table. Christian kept glancing in their direction. "My Grandfather Theodore use to take me to IHOP every Saturday"

He was opening up to me…

"Saturday was our day. Elliot and Mia both had soccer and I always hated going to their games, so my grandfather would take me here instead"

"Why didn't you play?"

He smirks "I punched the opposing goalie in the face once" He sees my shocked reaction "What! He was asking for it. He was being obnoxious every time his team scored and I didn't like it"

I laugh "I think you're just a sore-looser"

He shrugs his shoulders "What can I say, I don't like losing. Then there were a few other instances. By my third fight the coach had to kick me off the team. My Grandfather found it hilarious. He told me the other kids were all a bunch of pussies and that he was proud that I wasn't a coward like them"

"He sounds like a great guy…" I sarcastically say.

"He was. He would've liked you"

I never think before I speak. I stupidly blurt out "Is he dead?" Christian nods his head "Sorry" I quickly say "That was insensitive. I shouldn't have just blurted that out. I don't think before I speak. It's the foot-in-mouth syndrome-"

"Its fine, Anastasia" For a moment I think he is going to close himself off from me again. He goes silent before finally he continues speaking "He died about eight months before my mother. He was ninety and passed peacefully in his sleep"

"Like your mother? I heard that she had an aneurism in her sleep?" He seems confused by what I said "Kate told me that's what happened. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I shouldn't have brought it up"

Christian nods his head "Yes, she had an aneurism in her sleep" He scoots across the booth until he is standing "I am going to get something to drink, do you want anything?"

I shake my head and quietly decline.

After breakfast we drove around. He offered to drive me home but I wasn't ready to leave. I sent my mother a text and told her that I had errands to run and that I'd be home later. Christian and I had no plans for the day; we were just driving around and talking about nothing of importance. He asked me about High School and I told him that I changed schools multiple times due to my mother's marriages. He told me that he would get in a lot of trouble at school for fighting. We talked about mundane things that would probably bore the rest of the world, but interested us. I just wanted to know more about him.

As we drove we passed _Rodriguez Hardware_. We both went quiet as we passed the store. It was locked up, and Jose's truck wasn't out the front. I thought he'd be there today. I had no idea where he was or where he was staying. I hope he is using some of our five-hundred-thousand-dollars to stay in a hotel room. I don't want him sleeping in his truck.

Christian picks up on my quietness "What's wrong?"

"I thought he'd be there today. I haven't spoken to him since Saturday night, I am worried about him" I can see on Christian's face that he doesn't like that "He was one of my closest friends once. I am always going to care for him. I don't want anything bad to happen to him"

"I'd rather not talk about your husband, Anastasia. In my mind he doesn't exist"

"Well…he does. Legally, I am married to the man and if that is an issue for you then-"

Christian sighs in frustration "It's not an issue, well it is, but it's not going to stop me from being with you" His grey eyes meet mine for a moment "I don't like sharing. I don't like the idea of you being with someone else. I fucking hate the idea, actually. It drove me insane when you went home to him on Saturday. He doesn't deserve you, Ana"

"What do you mean he doesn't deserve me? You don't even know him, Christian. You've never met him. You don't get to sit there and judge a man you know nothing about!"

I hear him mumble under his breath " _I know more about him than you do_ "

"What the hell is that meant to mean?"

Christian shakes his head "Nothing, Ana. It means nothing. Can we just stop talking about _him_?"

"Fine" I put my elbow against the car door and rest my head on my hand. "Maybe you should just take me home?"

"No" He says "I have taken the day off work to be with you and that's what I am going to do. I am going to spend the day with you, Anastasia"

* * *

He drove me to property outside of the city. I had no idea where we were going. I wasn't speaking much on the way there. I wanted him to know I was still mad. I don't think he noticed. As he drove, his hand moved from the gear-stick to the inside of my thigh. He held my leg with one hand while the other rested on the steering wheel. His eyes were focused on the traffic in front of him. He was whistling along to the song _Get Lucky_ by _Daft Punk._ I should've slapped his hand away, but secretly I liked it.

We didn't do anything, we just drove. There was silence between us, but it wasn't an awkward silence that I felt like I needed to fill. It was nice to just sit there with him and admire the passing scenery. I kept looking at him in the driver's seat and admiring him. This was the first time that I had ever seen him so relaxed. I liked it. I liked this laidback Christian.

We were out of the city and driving down a dense forest road. I had no idea where we were but Christian seemed to know where he was going. He drove over a small wooden bridge that could barely fit one car. He pulled over onto the side of the road and turned off his car engine.

"Let's go" He had already unbuckling his seatbelt and opening the car door.

"We're in the middle of nowhere, Christian" He jogged around the front of the car and opened the passenger door. He held his hands out to me. I take them as I step out of the low car "Where are we going?"

"I want to show you something"

I glance around our location. We are in the middle of nowhere. Tall pine trees surrounded us. There wasn't another car insight. The only noise I could hear was the gentle rustle of the trees as they swayed in the breeze. I turn my attention back to Christian who can see my apprehension "Trust me"

He pushed a tree branch away to reveal a dirt path through the forest. We walked hand in hand along the path. The deeper into the forest that we walked, the more freaked out I became. I was scared that we were going to get lost out here in the remote wilderness. Christian insisted that he knew where he was taking me. I followed his lead. The trees began to thin out and I could hear running water. The trail ended at an old wharf that looked out to a large lake. It was beautiful.

Christian stepped onto the wharf and I heard it creak under his weight. It looked like the wood was going to cave in at any moment. He motioned for me to join him.

"How do you know about this place?" I asked.

"My father would take my brother and I fishing here" He explains "Elliot and I didn't really care about fishing. We'd poke each other with sticks and chase each other through the woods. My father would always tell us that this was our place. It was our secret place and no girls were allowed to know about it"

I smile "What about me?"

Christian smiles and wraps his hands around my waist. He pulls me into his body "You're an exception to the rule" He says in that low, sexy voice. "Anyway, Elliot broke the rule years ago. This was his favourite make-out spot when he was a teenager"

"What about you?" I ask out of curiosity "Was this your make-out spot as well?"

He shakes his head quickly "No. I wasn't…I wasn't that kind of teenager. I didn't have girlfriends and all that bullshit"

I found that hard to believe. He seemed _very_ experienced when it came to sex. I don't believe that he has never had a girlfriend, and I definitely don't believe that he was a virgin before me. Maybe he was a one-night-stand kind of guy?

He moves around my body until he is standing behind me. His arms wrap around my waist and he leans down to my ear. He points to the other side of the lake where there was more forest. Peeking out from behind the trees was houses. They were well hidden in the forest, you could only see them if you really looked.

I could feel his breath against my neck; it made a rush of shivers run up my body "You see those houses over there?" I slowly nod my head "Do you see the grey one with glass windows?"

I could just see it through the trees "Yes"

"Well, if you look to the right you can see a clearing of trees. You may be able to see an old house there" I nod my head again "I own that one"

I turn to face him "You own that house?"

"Why is that so hard to believe?"

"Well…" How do I put this? "It's the smallest one there. I thought you'd have a modern, technologically-advanced, mansion on the water. You don't seem like the type of man who'd want a house like that"

"You're right; I don't want a house like that. I don't give a fuck about the house. All I care about is the location and the view. I want to retire here on The Sound. I want to live out the last of my days as a grumpy, old, recluse"

"You already are a grumpy, old, recluse – Ahhh!" He tickled my ribs causing me to squeal and giggle. I turned around in his arms again and looked up to his happy face. When he was really smiling, he was ten times handsomer to me. "I never thought I'd meet a man like you, Christian Grey. You're a good man…even if you don't think so…"

"You won't think that once you know certain things about me"

"Unless you are a serial killer or have a dead clown in the trunk of your car, nothing is going to scare me away. I am tough; you'd be surprised at what I can handle"

He nods his head. His head tips up to look at the sky "It's starting to get overcast. We should get back to the car before it starts raining"

* * *

Carla Adams had been beside herself all day with worry. She had no idea where her daughter was. All she had to go by was a text that Ana sent. The text didn't tell Carla where she was or who she was with. All Anastasia had said was " _Had errands to do. Will be home later. X"_

Carla didn't think much of it at first, but as the hours ticked over, the more worried she became. It was unlike Ana to disappear for the day. She had changed a lot since the last time Carla had seen her. It was like she was only now going through her rebellious stage that most girls experience when they're sixteen. She was going out clubbing, disappearing for hours, no wonder she is having marriage problems with Jose. She obviously doesn't want to be tied down.

Carla had called Jose to ask if he had seen her daughter, but he didn't answer his phone. When Carla stepped outside to collect the mail, Ana's neighbour Patsy had been watering her garden. She was a nosy, old, hag who was always sitting outside or working on her garden. She liked to spy on the other neighbours.

"Good morning, Patsy!" Carla called out and waved "Beautiful day isn't it. I think it is meant to rain later. It's always raining here in Seattle; I do not miss this weather. It is absolutely beautiful over in Savanah!"

"Is your daughter home?" Patsy asked.

"No…actually she hasn't been home all morning. She is out running errands"

"I saw her get in a man's car this morning. It was a fancy looking car, too. I didn't realize she and Jose had that kind of money…"

Everything made sense to Carla now. Ana had come home on Saturday looking as if she had a long night. She and Jose had a loud argument before he walked out. Ana had no interest in fixing her marriage. It all clicked together for Carla. The reason Ana was acting so strangely was because she was having an affair!

Carla sat in the lounge room waiting for Ana to come home. She was going to have a stern talk with her daughter about what she was doing. She had a great husband, a nice house, a business, why would she throw that away for a pointless affair? It was very unlike her daughter. It was a good thing that Carla had shown up when she had.

It was five in the afternoon when she heard the car pull up. She moved from the lounge and walked to the window. She brushed the curtain away from the window to peek outside. She watched as a tall, copper hair man stepped out of the car. It was a fancy car. It looked expensive; Bob could probably tell Carla what kind of car it was. She watched as the man moved to the passenger side. He opened the door and helped Ana out.

Carla quickly stood and moved to the front door. She quietly opened it and watched as the strange man wrapped his arms around Ana. He was leaning in closely to her. Her hands were tightly wrapped around his bicep as she smiled up at him.

"I had fun today" Carla heard Ana say "Thank you for distracting me…"

She had planned to come out here and interrupt them, but as she watched them, she knew she couldn't break them up. Ana was looking at him with one of the happiest smiles that Carla had ever seen. Her daughter was looking at this man as if she were in love with him.

"Hello?"

Both Ana and the man spun around to face Carla standing on the front porch. Ana quickly stepped away from the man "Mum…umm…this is Christian. He is a friend of mine"

 _A friend_. Carla doubted that he was just a _friend_ of Ana's.

"Christian" She nods "I am Carla Adams, Ana's mother"

"It's a pleasure to meet you" He had a charming smile. He was a very handsome young man "I have heard a lot about you" He looks back to Ana and quietly told her "I should go"

Ana nods her head quickly. Carla didn't want him to leave; she wanted to know more about this man. "I have dinner in the oven" She tells them "I made a roast chicken; it would be a waste for only Ana and I to eat it. Why don't you stay for dinner?"

"I…" He looked unsure of what to say. He looked to Ana again who was shaking her head. "I really should go. I have a business call to make to China"

Carla wasn't going to let him leave. "You're a _friend_ of my daughter, and my daughter doesn't have many friends. Why don't you stay for dinner?"

* * *

Jose Rodriguez laid in the double bed with his back against the wooden headboard. He could hear the neighbours next door arguing and yelling at each other. He could hear the sound of the traffic outside the open window. He had forgotten how loud it was in the city. He did miss the noise.

He watched from the bed as Allister stood in the bathroom shirtless and shaving his jaw. He was whistling a song as he focused on shaving. He didn't have a care in the world. He didn't live with the anxiety or inner turmoil that Jose lived with. He didn't live with the guilt or the hatred that Jose experienced.

Jose ran a hand through his long dark hair "So, are you really going out on a date tonight?"

Allister nods his head "Yep. I have been seeing Harvey for a few weeks now. I am not going to call off the date because you don't want me to go" He grins at Jose "You want me to bring him home tonight?"

"Fuck off" Jose rolls his eyes "You know that I am not like _that_ "

Allister just laughs. He puts the shaver on the basin. He wiped his jaw down with a towel and threw it on the basin. He left the bathroom and walked into the bedroom. He stood at the end of the bed and stared at Jose. "I am all for not putting labels on people. Lots of women have lesbian experiences in college, it doesn't make them a lesbian. We all have a little bit of gay in us, just some people are more open about it"

Jose nods "Exactly, so I am not like _you_ "

"Okay" Allister shrugs "Sure"

"I am not!"

He bent down to pick up his T-shirt. He pulled it over his head "I am not going to argue with you about it, Jose. You always tell me that you're not like me, that you're not like that. I am over trying to help you"

"Maybe I am…bi-sexual" Jose says.

"Maybe you are" Allister reaches for his jeans "Or maybe you don't want to disappoint your father. We all know how much he hated me and my _lifestyle_. If I had a father like him I would be afraid to come out of the closet, too"

Once his jeans were pulled up around his waist, he walked to the bed and quickly kissed Jose, taking him by surprise. "I'll be home later" He smiled and winked at Jose "Don't wait up for me"

* * *

 **Yes, Jose is gay! So many of you guessed that correctly!**

 **So, What do you think will happen at the dinner? Will Carla behave?**

 **What do you think of the longer chapter?**

 **Review and let me know what you think :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **Your response to the last chapter was amazing.**

 **Now on with the story...**

* * *

Chapter 11

Christian Grey had never been in such an awkward situation before.

Ana was new to him in many ways. With her he was experiencing feelings that he had never felt before. He was doing things that he would never do with a Submissive – like, meeting Ana's mother. He would never have sat down and had dinner with the parent of one of his old Sub's. He would never take a day off work to drive around with a Sub. He would never take a sub to one of his most sacred places like he did with Anastasia today.

This was all so new to him.

He sat on the brown sofa; above him was a large photograph of Glacier Peak with snow on the mountain top. It was a beautiful photo. Christian noticed the name _Jose Rodriguez_ in the corner of the photograph. He liked it a little less after that. Beside him was a photograph of a man and little boy holding fishing poles. Christian assumed that it was Jose and his father, they looked alike. The photo beside it was of Jose as a boy with an older woman that looked like his grandmother.

He tried not to, but his eyes continued to gravitate towards a wedding photo. He stood from the lounge and walked to the shelf that it sat on. As much as it angered him, he did want to see Anastasia in a wedding dress.

He picked it up to look at it closely. Ana wasn't in a traditional wedding dress. She was only in a long sleeve, white dress that went to her knee. Her brown hair was down and curled. Jose stood beside her in trousers and a button up shirt. The only thing that told Christian this was a wedding photo was the fact that Ana was holding a bouquet of flowers, and she had a veil in her hair.

She did look beautiful. She was breathtakingly beautiful.

He feels arms drape over his shoulders, it surprises him and causes him to flinch. He was still not use to having people touch his back and chest. It was something he worked on after he stepped away from the BDSM lifestyle. Anastasia peered over his shoulders "What'cha looking at?"

He holds up the wedding photo "Just this" He glances back over his shoulder "Interesting dress choice. Don't all girls have a fantasy about their dream wedding and their dream princess dress?"

"Not all girls"

He puts the photo back on the shelf. He turns around to face Anastasia. Her hands move from his shoulder to his chest "You can make a run for it, if you want. My mother is busy in the kitchen" She whispers to him "I'll cover for you"

He smiles "Do you want me to leave?"

Her teeth sink into her bottom lip. He wanted to kiss her so fucking badly. He wanted to take her back to _The Fairmont_ and have his way with her. He could see in her eyes that she wanted the same thing. "I don't want you to leave" She whispered "It's just awkward. I think my mother knows about you and I being together. She probably thinks that we spent the day in bed together…"

"I wish"

She smacks his arm making Christian laugh. She was a little firecracker, and Christian loved it. He loved her. He knew his feelings for her were deeper than just lust or a stupid _crush_. He envisioned a future with her. It was a future that involved travelling the world together. He had made enough money in his lifetime to never have to work again. He would happily step away from his company if it meant he and Ana could travel together. Once they were old and grey they would retire in their house on The Sound, or maybe they could retire in a Chateau in the French countryside.

Ana begins to twirl her finger in his dress shirt. She looked up at him through her long eyelashes. She had no idea how seductive she really was "I miss you…" She tells him "I can't wait to be with you again. I can't wait for my mother to leave"

"Will she be gone by Friday?"

"I hope so" She whispers with a desperate look in her eyes.

"It's my birthday on Friday and-"

"Does anyone want anything to drink?" Carla asked as she stepped into the room. She had a large glass of wine in her hands. Christian and Ana stepped away from each other "We have wine, beer, water?"

"No thank you, Carla" He said politely.

"I need wine" Ana says. She then mutters under her breath "I am going to need a lot of it to get through tonight…"

Ana stepped out of the room but Carla remained. She stared at Christian as Ana left the room. She motioned for him to sit back down on the brown lounge. She followed by sitting on the arm chair. She was nervously playing with her wedding ring as she looked at Christian. He didn't know what to say to her. She obviously knew that he was sleeping with her married daughter. It was very awkward.

"Well…" She began to say but stopped herself. She took a long drink of her wine before she continued "My daughter has never mentioned you before. How long have you known each other?"

"A little over a month"

She nods as if that was interesting to her "And have you met Jose, her _husband_?"

"No"

"Where did you and Ana meet?"

"At her Hardware Store"

"Interesting…" Carla nods "Are you close with my daughter?"

What does that even mean? "I guess…" Christian says.

"You don't give away much do you?" Carla takes another drink of her wine, a longer one this time. She would probably be drunk by the end of the night. "Listen, I don't want there to be this awkwardness between us" She braces forward in the armchair "I am going to be honest with you, Mr. Grey. I don't approve of the relationship you have with my daughter, but, she seems…happy with you"

"I believe my daughter is in love with you, Mr. Grey and if you do not share those feelings then I advise you step away and leave Ana to work out her marriage" She tells him "I do not want to see my daughter get hurt. So, if you don't love her then you need to leave her alone. Do we understand each other?"

He nods his head "I understand"

"What are your intentions with my daughter? Are you the reason that she and her husband are breaking up?"

"I don't know, that is something you have to discuss with her. Ana was already bored before I came into the picture. I never wanted to interfere in her marriage"

"But you did"

"Yes. Anastasia isn't some one-night-stand, though. She isn't a fling that I'll get bored with in a month. I have genuine feelings for your daughter" He explains to Carla "And from what she has told me, her marriage with Jose is well and truly over"

Carla obviously didn't believe that "Maybe their marriage was over. You being in the picture doesn't help her. It doesn't help them work on their marriage and strive to be together again. You're a distracting that is stopping her from doing what she needs to do"

"And you know what _she_ needs to do?"

"I've been divorced before. I know what she is going through. I only wish that I had someone giving me advice when I divorced Ana's father. If someone had been helping me, maybe I wouldn't have made one of the biggest mistakes in my life"

"So, this is about you and not Ana? You don't care about what Ana wants in this situation. You just don't want her to end up like you. You don't want her to be married…how many times was it?"

Carla scoffed as if she was offended. "I know her better than you do"

"I don't think you do"

Carla went to speak again but a creak in the floorboards stole their attention. They looked over to see Ana standing in the archway with a glass of wine in her hand. She was looking between her mother and Christian. "Is everything alright?" She asked in a quiet voice.

There was nothing good that could come from Christian being here. He had already come between her marriage, he didn't want to come between her relationship with her mother too.

He stood from the lounge "Thank you for inviting me to dinner, Carla" He politely says "I should go"

Ana nods "I'll…umm…I'll walk you to your car"

It was just beginning to rain as they stepped outside. They walked down the pathway together to Christians Audi Spyder. He pulled out the keys from his back pocket and unlocked the car. He looked back to Ana who had her arms folded against her chest. Christian hoped that she wasn't mad at him for the way that he spoke to Carla. He just isn't the type of man who can hold his tongue and play nice.

"I hope my mother didn't get to you. She can be…intense sometimes" She says

"No, she cares about you, Ana" Christian looks back to the house; he could see Carla's head poking through the curtains watching them. She quickly disappeared behind the curtain when Christian saw her staring "She wants the best for you..."

"She says that, I don't know if I believe it" Ana quietly speaks. He could see she was upset "My mother had an affair with a handsome, rich, man. She ended up leaving my father for him and marrying him. Then he turned on her when they were married. I think that you remind her of him…even though you're nothing like him. She just doesn't know you, yet"

She takes a step towards Christian "I had hoped that you would meet my parents as my partner, not the man I am having an affair with"

"She'll come around…one day" He wants to kiss her so fucking badly. "I have something to ask you"

"Okay…"

"It is my birthday on Friday. My family is having a dinner to celebrate and…well…I was hoping that you could be my date to it. My real date, not a paid one. I understand if you want to say no. You need to be here with your mother and you need to talk to Jose about a divorce. You have a lot going on-"

She interrupts his rambling by kissing him. She jumped up onto her tippy toes and wrapped her delicate fingers in his hair. She pulled him down to meet her lips and took control of the slow, passionate kiss. Once Christian's surprise subsided, his hands wrapped around her small body. He savoured the feel of her body, and the feel of her lips pressed against his, knowing that he would not be able to experience this again until Friday.

Ana slowly backed away from the kiss, and her blue eyes opened. He loved her eyes. She had a beautiful body, plush lips, gorgeous long hair, but her eyes are what captivated him. "I'd love to be your date" She smiles. She takes a step away from Christian "I'll see you on Friday. Goodnight, Christian"

"Goodnight, Anastasia"

* * *

My body felt heavy as I stepped through the door. I wished I could go home with him. I wished I could run away with him and forget about my mother and Jose. It is depressing to go from the happiness I felt with Christian, to the loneliness I felt in this house. This house makes me depressed. It doesn't feel like my home, I don't have any happy memories here. When I think about this house, I imagine myself in ten years with four of Jose's kids. I'd be a stay-at-home mum. We'd be struggling to pay bills because five-hundred-thousand-dollars wouldn't last us ten years. Jose and I would be just as miserable as we are right now.

I don't want my life to turn out like that. The thought of it depresses me.

My mother is standing in the kitchen drinking her second glass of wine. Beside her is a red box with a neat blue ribbon wrapped around it. She heard me enter the room and turned around to face me.

"Has Christian left?" I nod my head and reach for my glass of wine. "I shouldn't have interrogated him the way I had. This was meant to be a nice evening. I wanted to get to know your friend. He seemed like a nice man and-"

"I know that you know" I tell her "I know that you know about him and I…"

My mother doesn't say anything; she only reaches for her glass of wine again. She takes a long drink from it before placing it down on the bench. Her hands reach into her blonde hair to fix the neat bun. She played with her hair, or fixed her makeup whenever she was feeling nervous.

"I know you probably think badly of me" I say "I know you think what I am doing is wrong. I understand why you feel that way, I don't blame you. I just…I…I don't even know what to say…"

"Are you in love with him?"

I wasn't expecting that question.

My mother smirks "All it took was one look at you two together and I knew you were more than friends. So, are you in love with him?"

"I don't know…I know that my feelings for him are more intense than anything I have ever felt for Jose. I love Jose, but I don't feel for Christian the way I feel for Jose. Does that make sense? I love Jose in the same way that I love Kate. I don't want them to get hurt, I want to take care of them, I want them to be happy…But I am not in love with them"

"But, you're in love with Christian?"

I slowly nod my head "I think I am falling head-over-heels in love with him"

I didn't know how my mother would react. For a long time she didn't say anything. I was waiting for her to give me a lecture about why I am being immature, and why she knows better. For the first time ever, she was silent.

She cleared her throat before she spoke again "I know that you don't like hearing about your father and I's divorce. You know that Stephan Morton and I had an affair. You know that if I could I would take it back" She tells me "I was vulnerable when I met Stephan. Your father and I weren't happy. We had very little money, we were constantly at work, and we had no time for each other. When I met Stephan I was charmed by his expensive lifestyle and his good looks"

"I thought that he could give me what your father couldn't. I thought his money could make me happy and-"

"I am not with Christian for his money!" I shake my head.

"There are a lot of similarities between what happened between your father and I, and what is happening between you and Jose. That is all I am saying" My mother slides the red box across the bench towards me "I made this as a present to you and Jose"

I step closer to inspect it. She had told me that she had a present for Jose and me. I pull at the blue ribbon that was neatly tied around it. I lifted the lid of the red box and smiled at what I found inside. There was a soft, knitted, baby blanket. I knew that my mother had knitted it herself. She had always loved arts and crafts.

"I was hoping that you and Jose would be thinking of starting a family soon. I made you a blanket similar to this when I was pregnant with you. Given everything that is going on, I understand if you don't want to keep it…"

"Mum, of course I want to keep it" I smile as I look down to the blanket "I'll have a baby one day, just not with Jose. I know you don't agree with my decision to divorce him, but I need to do this…for me. I have applied for jobs at companies that work in the Publications industry. I am going to talk to Kate about moving in with her. For the first time in a long time, I am excited for my future. I want you to be excited for me"

"I am" She nods. I wasn't sure if she was being genuine.

Dinner was quiet. My mother wasn't talking, which meant she was either angry or upset. My guess was the latter. She is worried that I am going to end up being married four times. She didn't want me to marry a man like Stephan Morton. I wasn't sure if I ever wanted to get married again, and if did, I would never be with a man like Morton. I didn't care if Christian had money, or how attractive he was. In time I hope that my mother can see that Christian and Morton are two very different people.

After dinner I had along, warm shower which seemed to clear my head. I changed into loose sweats and stepped out of the bedroom. I wanted to put tonight's events behind me. I didn't want my mother and I to be arguing, or on edge with each other. I probably won't see her again until my birthday in September, or Christmas Time. I wanted to make the most of my time with her.

I found her in the spare bedroom. She was folding one of her summery dresses and placing it into her open suitcase. "Where are you going?"

She stood at the end of the bed with her back was to me "I think it's time that I left…" She reaches for another dress "You obviously don't need me here, you have everything figured out. It's best that I go home. I am sure that Bob is at home missing me…"

"I thought you said Bob was in San Diego?"

That made her turn around to face me "He is…"

"But, you just told me he is at home"

 _Oh god, I now realize why she is here._

"Are you and Bob having…troubles, Mum?"

"He and I are fine" Her voice shook as she spoke "He…He…"

"He left me! He is in San Diego with all his buddies, having a great time, and he left me at home" She broke down into a fit of tears. She sat on the bed and sobbed into her blue sundress. "He…He…" She hiccupped and wiped her snotty nose on the dress. I reached for the box of tissues on the side of the bed and handed her one. I sat down beside my sobbing mother and tried to comfort her.

"He told me that I am too high maintenance. What does that even mean? He thinks that I should see a therapist. He thinks I am the problem. I am not a problem! Am I a problem, Ana?"

 _Should I answer that honestly?_

"Well…sometimes you can be over-bearing…"

My mother throws her arms up and stands from the bed "So, you think I am a problem as well! Does anyone in my family actually love me? It doesn't sound like it. I sound like I am a nuisance to you all!"

I took a deep breath and counted to ten before I spoke. I wished I could tell her what I was really thinking. I wished I could say "Yes, you can be a nuisance. You have horrible self-esteem issues. You put yourself in other people's business and tell them you're helping, when really you just want to feel worthy. You're highly jealous of everyone around you and can't bear the thought of being alone for five minutes. Maybe, Bob just needs a break from you"

I knew that wouldn't help her. I had to keep my mouth shut. I took her hand and moved her to sit beside me on the bed again. I held both her hands and said "The best thing that you can do right now, is to go home and think about what Bob said. Did he say that he wanted to get divorced?"

My mother slowly shakes her head.

"Do you want to get divorced?"

She shakes her head "I love him. He is a good man. He treats me right and…and I can't bear the thought of being away from him"

"Then listen to what he is telling you. He is telling you that he needs help in this marriage. He isn't saying he wants to get divorced or that he no longer loves you. He just wants help" I can feel tears burning at my eyes "I have been there with Jose. I was willing to love him and support him through anything; all I needed was for him to listen to me. He never listened to what I said. It was never about what I needed or wanted, it was always about him. I can understand where Bob is coming from. I was in his position for the past two years"

"The difference between our marriages is that you and Bob are in love, and you have a solid relationship to work on. Jose and I never had that"

My mother nods her head as she takes in what I said. She quickly dabbed her tears away with a tissue. For a moment I believe that I have gotten through to her. "You're really not happy, aren't you, Ana?" I shake my head and she begins to cry some more "Here I was thinking I could convince you to stay with Jose. You should've told me how unhappy you are. I am a horrible mother, I should've known better!"

She cried for hours about every little thing she could think of. I held her hand, wiped her tears, and gave her encouraging words of support. That was all I could do to help her. I can only hope that when she returns to Savanah, she will listen to what I said and get help. She desperately needs it.

The following more she booked herself a ticket back to Savanah, and by the afternoon she was on her plane.

* * *

Katherine Kavanagh stood in the dark hallway banging on the wooden door. She hated standing in the hallway of this building for too long. She always held her bag close to her and never wore any expensive jewellery when visiting Allister. He didn't live in the safest apartment block, nor did he have the nicest neighbours.

She continued to bang on the door. She knew he was home, because he rarely left his apartment. The only time he wasn't home was if he was on a date, out with Kate, or travelling. She wasn't going to stop banging on the door; she desperately needed someone to talk to. She could call Ana, but then they'd have to organize somewhere to meet up. No, she needed to talk to someone right now.

"Allister!" She calls through the door "I know you're home. Hurry up and let me in. I have to talk to you about something-"

She heard the chain lock, a moment later the door swung open. "What!"

He was only in a pair of boxer briefs. He had nail marks on his smooth chest. His honey brown hair was not in its usual sleeked back style. Today it was a mess. She could smell sex radiating off him. She now knew why he wasn't answering the door.

"Oh…" She smirks and pushes past him to enter the small loft apartment "I didn't realize you had company. Is Harvey here? Or are you already bored with him?" She could hear the water running through the dingy pipes "Is he in the shower?"

"Yes, he is in the shower. What do you want?"

"I have to talk to you about something" She opens her hand bag "I spent the night at Elliot's last night-"

"What a surprise" Allister rolls his eyes.

"Shut up and let me talk. God, you're in a crappy mood today" She says as she pulls the little white piece of paper from her bag "Anyway, I was at Elliot's and this morning I was doing the laundry like I usually do when I am at his house. He never does his laundry. He takes it to the laundromat once a week and-"

"And please tell me this story will get more interesting"

She shoves the little white piece of paper in his direction. "Look!" She tells him. He takes it and looks it over. He doesn't react. He stares blankly at it "I found that in the pocket of his jeans"

Allister wasn't impressed "A receipt?"

"Yes, but not just any receipt, a receipt to _Tiffany's_. Look at what he brought me, and look at the price tag on that thing!"

That's when Allister reacted, his eyes almost fell out of his head "Fuck, I didn't realize lover-boy was making that kind of money. Way to go, Kate"

"He brought me a ring, a very expensive ring"

Allister hands her the receipt back "And, didn't you want to get engaged?"

"Yes…"

"So, what is the big deal? This is what you wanted, Kate"

"I know…"

"Why are you hesitating?"

"Because…this is a big deal. It is all fun and games to talk about getting married. It is a fun fantasy, but now it is going to be a reality" She explains to him "He wants a wife and kids, pronto. Once we're married he is going to want me to pop out a kid within the year. I am not sure if I even want kids!"

She throws herself down on his old couch "He hasn't met my family. I doubt he asked my dad for permission, and you know what he is like. He expects my future husband to get down on his knees and grovel for my hand in marriage. My mother will have a fit if she finds out I am engaged without ever meeting Elliot"

"Tell him no then. It's not that hard to do"

"Yes it is!" She snaps "I can't tell him no, and I can't say yes either!"

Allister rubs his temple "Women are so confusing, I am so glad I am gay" He sits down beside her "Kate, he may not propose until Christmas time. He might not propose until Valentine's Day. Don't freak out yet"

"He is going to propose on Friday" She nods her head "That's the next time the family is going to be all together. It's his brother's birthday and he already insisted that I come to the party. I have…" She quickly counted "…Four days to prepare for this"

She heard her phone ringing in her handbag. She opened it and pulled out her phone to see Ana's name on the screen. She excused herself and stood from couch to answer the phone. She put it to her ear "Hey, Steele"

"Hey, are you busy?"

"Nope, I just finished work. What's up? You want to go get cocktails tonight? I am in dire need of some girl time" She says with a sigh "I have huge news to tell you" She glances back to Allister "And I need a women's opinion on it"

Allister rolls his eyes. She watches as he stands and walks to the bathroom door. He opens it and steps inside. He doesn't want Kate to see his date, which she doesn't understand. He never hid his sexual exploits from her in the past.

"You know how I said my mother was staying for the week?" Ana asked her friend.

"Yes, what has she done now?" Kate wasn't Carla's biggest fan. She had only met her a handful of times when Kate and Ana were roommates. Carla would always just show up and expect Ana to be okay with it. She walked over her daughter and if Ana spoke up, Carla wouldn't listen.

"She just got in a taxi to go to the airport. She is gone and I don't want to stay in this house a minute longer. Can I…do you mind…I kind of need somewhere to stay?"

Kate grins "Yes, of course you can stay with me. I need my roommate back. I need my best friend back. I'll have the spare room ready for you to move your things into"

She hung up with Ana feeling excited and happy to have her best friend back. Kate had other friends, but she didn't have another best friend like Ana. She was like a sister to Kate. She called out to Allister and his secret lover-boy that she was leaving, she heard him call out a muffled goodbye. As she walked towards the door, a bag caught her attention.

It was a simple camera-bag that held an expensive looking camera inside. It was sitting on a rustic corner table. The red stripes on the straps looked familiar to Kate, but she couldn't figure out why. She took a step towards it to inspect it further. There was a name-tag on the strap.

 _Property of Jose Rodriguez_

Jose? That was Jose's bag, and it looked like his beloved camera as well. Kate would know, Jose was always shoving it in her face to take photos. It was safe to assume that Allister was using it or borrowing it. She wasn't going to think twice about it, until a wallet on the bench caught her attention. It looked old and worn out, nothing like Allister's.

 _Walk away, Kate_ , She told herself, _nothing good can come from you eavesdropping._

She couldn't walk away. Her journalist instincts stepped in. She needed to know more. She needed to know if Jose was here or not. She quickly grabbed the worn-out wallet and opened it. Her heart raced when she saw the photo of her old friend Jose Rodriguez on the driver's license. His name was there in clear font. He was here with Allister.

Not only was he here with Allister, he was his _lover-boy_.

* * *

Did Ana know about Jose?

Was that why they were having issues?

Is Jose even Gay, or is he just _extremely_ close with Allister?

Her mind was racing as she helped Ana with her stuff. Ana told Kate about her mother's emotional breakdown last night and what was happening between Carla and Bob. Kate would nod her head but the whole time that Ana was speaking, Kate was focused on whether she should tell Ana what she saw today.

Kate prided herself on having amazing Gaydar. The day she met Allister, she knew he played for the other team, so she never hit on him. She could help him pick guys up at parties. She could pick the boys who were confused with their sexuality, or the ones who were just " _experimenting"._ Her Gaydar skills were second to none.

But, she never thought Jose was gay.

Ana was unpacking her suitcase of clothes and hanging them in the bedroom closet. Kate sat on the bed; her mind was trying to think back to College. She was trying to recollect any memory of Jose being a little _touchy-feely_ with Allister.

"I'll get a job" Ana says "I applied for some jobs in publishing and I am waiting to hear back from them. In the meantime I'll apply for café work or a job in retail. I want to pay rent. I don't want to be a free-loader"

"It's fine..."

Ana must pick up on Kate's quietness "Is everything okay?"

This was Kate's chance to say something, but she froze. She couldn't say what she needed to say. It didn't feel right to blurt out this secret. If Jose wanted Ana to know – which she should – he would tell her himself. He obviously doesn't want people to know. It felt wrong for Kate to be the one to tell Ana.

It wasn't like she could say "Hey, your husband is gay and sleeping with one of our old friends from college. Should we have Mexican or Pizza tonight?"

It was something that Jose had to tell her, no one else. She wished she had never eavesdropped and looked at that wallet. She doesn't want to keep things from Ana, but this isn't Kate's secret to tell.

She instead smiled at her best friend "Nothing, it's been a confusing day"

"Oh, I almost forgot to mention, I spent the day with Christian yesterday!" Ana grins. She looked really happy when she spoke about him "We went to breakfast. We drove around all day. He showed me this place outside of the city that his father use to take him to. It was a really sweet day"

"Oh, look at you, Steele. You're blushing!"

She grins and reaches for another of her plain T-shirts "I just smile and melt whenever I think about our day" Her smile slowly fades "But then when he dropped me home, my mother saw us together. She put two-and-two together and figured out that we were-"

"Fucking?"

"I'd hardly call it that…we've only had sex once" Ana hangs the shirt up in the cupboard "Anyway, she invited him to dinner and while I was getting myself a drink, I heard them arguing. She was trying to tell him to stay away and let me figure out my marriage. He was telling her that Jose and I were done. I interrupted them and then Christian walked out"

"Did he throw a classic Christian tantrum? He is renowned for them"

"No, he just knew that it wasn't a good idea to stay for dinner. He also invited me to his birthday on Friday"

Kate jumps off the bed "You're coming, thank god. That'll make the party so much more bearable!"

"Party!? Does he know there is going to be a party? He told me it is just going to be a dinner"

"A dinner-party" Kate says. She begins to look through Ana's things "And you need something sexy to wear. It's his birthday which means he will be expecting birthday-sex. Your wardrobe is about as sexy as an eighty year old librarian"

"Well…I never had any need for anything sexy. I like my casual clothes"

Kate rolls her eyes "Do you want to get laid or not?" Ana blushes and Kate took that as a yes "If you want to have the best birthday sex imaginable on Friday night, then you cannot show up in these clothes"

"I don't have any sexy clothes"

"I know, but you do have five-hundred-thousand in the bank. I think you can spare a few dollars on some lingerie and a nice dress" Kate grins "Get your rest, Steele. Tomorrow after I am done work, we are going shopping!"

* * *

 **So...**

 **Carla is finally gone home to work on her marriage.**

 **Ana has moved out and is living with Kate.**

 **Do you think Kate should have told her about Jose?** **Do you think Jose should be the one to tell Ana?** **What do you think will happen at Christian's birthday?**

 **Review and let me know what you think :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **Yay, we passed 300 reviews. I am so grateful to everyone who is reading and enjoying this story. I love writing it!**

 **Due to major writers-block and a busy life I had to upload this chapter later than I intended. Sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes. I had barely anytime to write or edit this chapter.**

 **Now on with the story...**

* * *

Chapter 12

I stand in the small change-room. I turned on my side to look at myself in the full length mirror. I wasn't sure if I liked this dress. It felt too short for a dinner-party. I wasn't sure if I should wear something classy and sophisticated for the dinner, or something fun for the party. What does someone wear to a dinner-party?

The dress that Kate and the sixteen year old shop assistant picked for me was majorly short. It was black and skin tight with cut-outs at the waist. Sure, it was sexy but I didn't want to show up looking like a tramp. I wanted to look respectable. I'd be meeting his father for the first time.

"Kate, I don't think this is my dress" I call out to her through the door.

"What's wrong, it looked great on the mannequin. Your body isn't much different"

I roll my eyes at that. I open the door and step out. Kate was sitting on a plush chair with her shopping bags by her side. The shop assistant was chewing her gum and looking me up and down.

"You look hot, Ana" The girl said.

"Exactly" I look to Kate "I look hot. I don't want to look like a twenty year old. I want to look like a grown woman"

"I knew you'd say that" Kate nods as she stands. The shop assistant had her hands full with other dress that Kate picked out for me. Kate looks through the pile and pulls out a pink dress. "Here. This one is something a grown woman would wear"

I take the dress from her and returned to the small change room. We had spent the past hour in this store trying to find a dress for Friday night. As each day past, I was becoming more and more excited for his birthday. I was excited to see him; I was even more excited to spend Friday night with him. It felt like ages ago that we were last together; really it was less than a week ago.

I tried on the pink dress and hated it. It wasn't an ugly dress by any means, it just wasn't the dress that would make Christian stop in his tracks and do a double-take. I took it off and threw it over the door "No luck" I tell her "What's the next one?"

"This is the last one" Kate hands the next dress over the door.

The next dress was a black maxi dress. It had spaghetti straps and a deep V cut. There was a slit up the side of the leg. A dress like this would look great on someone like Kate who was tall and had a supermodel body. On me it made me look even shorter than what I was.

"Nope" I say as I leave the change room. I had my summer dress back on and secured my hair off my neck with a large butter-fly clip. "None of those dresses were my dress"

Kate had found her dress straight away. She wanted something that would stand out since she believed that Elliot would be proposing at the party. She wanted to look one-million-dollars. She chose a gold, sequinned, mini-dress that was very short, and very tight. Believe me; she'd stand out at the party.

Kate and I left the store together. I had my bag from Victoria Secret in my hand. Buying lingerie had been a very embarrassing task. The nineteen year old shop assistant tried to measure my cup-size. She asked me all kinds of questions about what I was buying. It was mortifying and Kate found it hilarious. I managed to find black panties with a matching lace garter belt. I struggled in the change room to get them on. I had never worn a garter belt before.

I also brought a lacy soft cup bra. Kate insisted that they looked good, I wasn't sure how since there was no support in them. Once I put it on, I understood what she meant. The bra was slightly see-through. There was something about lingerie that made a woman feel so sexy and confident. I wasn't going to be shy when it came to showing Christian what I brought, if anything I was excited to show it off to him. I hoped he liked it…

Before we went shopping, we stopped at a salon that Kate was a regular at. It was called Esclava and was owned by an old family friend of the Grey's. I had my split-ends cut off and had layers put into my hair. It felt lighter and smoother.

Together Kate and I walked around the Bellevue mall, we were looking at the mannequins in the windows in hopes we'd find a dress. We walked into one of our favourite stores, Forever 21. They had nice summer dresses and cute skirts. Nothing that was appropriate for a dinner.

"So, who is coming to the dinner on Friday?" I asked Kate as we looked through the racks of clothes "Will it just be family?"

"I don't know, Mia is in charge of the party. She'll probably invite all of her horny friends. I swear, they have it bad for Elliot and Christian" Kate holds up a tight red dress. I shake my head and she puts it back on the racks. "A few family friends may be there. No more than ten people, though. Christian would probably throw a tantrum if they threw a surprise party for him. He is a pain in the ass…"

I look up to Kate "Why do you hate him so much? Have you ever taken the time to get to know him? He really isn't that bad"

"Well, I was there for Elliot after their mother died. He met me literally weeks after she passed. Elliot was trying so hard to keep his family together. Carrick was depressed and barely leaving his bed. Mia was a drunk mess…she still is. Christian, he pushed everyone away" She explains to me "Elliot tried to talk to his brother, he tried to be there for him, but Christian wanted nothing to do with his family"

"People deal with death in different ways…"

"He completely shut them out, Ana. Elliot was there for Christian, but the same couldn't be said in reverse. Just because Elliot is smiling and making jokes, it doesn't mean he is not hurting. He is the clue that kept the Grey family together. Christian is too much of an ass to see that" Kate then smiles to me "Maybe you'll be a positive change on him. He is going to need to do a complete 180 if he expects me to ever be his friend"

The thought of Christian and Kate being friends brought a smile to my face. They were both so head-strong and stubborn; I doubt they'll ever be friends. "He will be your brother-in-law one day, it wouldn't hurt to be nicer to him"

Kate laughs "Okay, tell him to stop being an ass and maybe I'll be nicer – Oh my god!"

"What!?"

"That is your dress!"

I quickly spun around to look at what she was pointing at. I saw the dress on the black mannequin and a big smile spread over my lips. Yes, that was so my dress.

* * *

The night of Christian's dinner-party started out great with Kate and I having pre-drinks at her apartment. We were blasting _Beyoncé_ through her speakers while we got ready. Like usual, Kate did my makeup since I still wasn't very good at it. She knew what would look good with the outfit that I chose for tonight. She contoured and highlighted my face. She also gave me a smoky eye and a nude lip.

I curled my hair into long waves that fell over my shoulders. I put a lot of effort into my look tonight, but I wanted to try and look natural. I didn't want to put on too much makeup, or over spray my hair with hairspray. I wanted to look sexy for Christian, but respectable to the rest of his family. It was hard to balance the two looks.

Once my hair was curled and my makeup was on, it was time to get dressed. I once again struggled with my lingerie. I rolled up the dark thigh-high stockings that had lace trim. I pulled up my black panties and then attached the garter belt to them. I had to admit, it did look sexy. I put on my bra and then my dress.

The dress that I chose got a big thumb's up from Kate. It was a soft, olive-green, turtle-neck dress. It hugged my thin body. It only just covered my garter belt and I would have to be careful to make sure no one saw it during the night. That would be mortifying.

Just as I was putting on my new black stilettos, I heard a knock at the door. A moment later I heard Kate's voice call out through the apartment. "Ana!"

I quickly put my heels on. I turned around in the mirror, examining my look. I felt sexy and confident in this dress. I ran my fingers through my hair to give it a sort of messy look. I took a long, calming breath before leaving the bedroom and stepping out to greet Christian.

 _And wow, did he look good._

He was dressed in a pair of black trousers, with a dark blue dress shirt tucked into it and the sleeves rolled up to his biceps. The first three buttons of the shirt were undone revealing just a hint of his sexy chest. His copper hair was still neatly styled back off his face after a day at work. His grey eyes were on me the minute I stepped out of the bedroom. His eyes took in my body and my short dress as I stepped out to greet him. I saw that hungry look in his eyes as I walked towards him. I knew that tonight was going to be a _very_ long night.

"Anastasia…"

I smiled and stepped closer to him so I could kiss his cheek "Happy birthday, Christian"

His hands wrapped around my waist and pulled me in closer to him. He let out a low groan that only I could "Do you have any idea how fucking sexy you look right now?" He said in a pained voice. He once again looked over my body "I can't stop staring. This dress is the best birthday present you could've given me"

I giggle "No offense, but I don't think it'd look very good on you"

He pulls away to stare down at me and I can see him trying to hold back his smile "You know what I mean" He gently takes my chin in his hand and brings my lips to his. His lips press to mine in a soft, gentle, loving, kiss. He quietly says against my lips "You look beautiful tonight, Anastasia" before he kisses me again.

I was so lost in his kisses that I forgot Kate was standing there. She made her presence known by clearing her throat and interrupting our moment "I am right here, guys" The front door opened again and Elliot stepped inside. Elliot was in much the same outfit as Christian. He had on a white dress shirt and a pair of black trousers. His shirt was half untucked, and his blonde curls were all over the place.

Kate was happy to see him "Baby, you're here! Thank god, I didn't want to be left alone with these two. They haven't been able to keep their hands off each other"

Elliot looked over Kate who had her blonde hair curled, her makeup on, but was still in her short nightgown "Babe, why aren't you dressed! I told you I'd be here at seven"

"Okay, Mr. Grouchy. All I have to do is put on my dress and heels. It'll take five minutes"

"You say that now, but I bet you still won't be ready in half-an-hour. Can you please hurry up?" His blue eyes glanced in our direction "You guys should go. Hopefully I won't be far behind"

Christian and I both felt the tension in the room. He nodded towards the door and held his hand out for me. I took it and quickly followed him out of the apartment before I ended up in the middle of Kate and Elliot's fight. We took the elevator to the first floor. During the ride down, I could feel Christian's eyes burning into me. His hand reached out and rested on the small of my back, but slowly moved further down to rest on my behind. He must've felt one of the straps of the garter belt, but before he could say something, the elevator doors opened.

He led me out to the street to a waiting red car parked on the side of the road. It wasn't something I could picture Christian driving. It was a hatchback, two-door, compact car. He pulled out a set of keys from his back pocket. "Do you like it?" He asked as he unlocked the car.

"Yeah…it's nice"

"Good. It's yours" He handed me the keys.

"No…Christian, you can't buy me a car" I try to hand the keys back to him but he refuses to take them "What about _Wanda_? You said you would have her dropped off to me"

" _Wanda_ was a death trap" He walks to the driver's side of the car and opens the door for me. "The _Audi A3_ is the safest car on the market. I can more than afford it. I could buy fifty of these cars for you if that was what you really wanted, Ana"

I don't know what to say. I stare at Christian who is waiting by the door. He pouts his lips and gives me adorable puppy dog eyes "Please" He tells me "I just want to keep you safe, Ana. If you accept this, it would be a birthday present to me"

How could I say no to that adorable face? He was like a little boy pleading for candy. He was too cute to say no to. I stepped closer and his smile grew as he realized that I had accepted his gift. I said a quiet thank you before stepping into the driver's seat. Christian raced around to the passenger's seat. "It's your birthday; shouldn't I be the one giving you presents?"

"Nope" He shakes his head "I don't like people spending money on me. Besides, making you happy and keeping you safe is enough for me"

Was this the same man that I met a month ago? That man had been a jerk who barely said a word to me. He was rude, and always serious. He was Mr. Serious and Sexy. Don't get me wrong, I love this happy, playful, loving, Christian. I just can't believe how much he had changed in a month.

 _Did I have this effect on him?_

* * *

Driving the A3 was a new experience for me. I had never driven a car that drove so smoothly on the road. Unlike _Wanda_ who struggled to make it up steep roads, this car had so much power behind it. It was a relief to not worry about if the car would make it up a hill, or if it would break down on me at any moment. I hated to admit that I fell in love with it, and I wasn't going to give Christian the gratification of knowing that.

I put the address of Christian's father's home into my new GPS. It made Christian nervous every time I took my eyes off the road to look at it. It made me nervous every time he yelled at me for taking my eyes off the road. I felt like I was sixteen and learning to drive all over again.

Finally, we reached the Bellevue mansion. I pulled up to the gate and saw security standing there. They let us up right away. Christian showed me where to park in the circular drive. I struggled to park in the spot. I wasn't the best driver, much to Christian's dismay.

Once the car was parked Christian jumped out to open my door. He held his hands out to me and I happily took them. As I was stepping out of the car, my dress rose up my thigh to show the black lace trim of my stockings, and the black garter belt attached to it. Christian noticed and his eyes clouded with desire. "What is that, Anastasia?"

Christian stepped closer to me and wrapped his arms around my small body. My teeth sunk into my lip as I looked up into his handsome eyes. I let out a small gasp as I felt his hands on the back of my thigh, sneaking up my dress "I certainly hope that is another of my birthday presents?"

"Maybe…" I whispered.

His fingers moved under the strap of the garter belt. He pulled it away from my body and let it go. It stung my sensitive skin and caused me to gasp out. A devilish smirk spread over his lips "Oh, I am going to have fun with this tonight"

He flicked the elastic strap against my skin one more time, causing me to jump. He stepped away from me, and walked me towards the entrance of the house. I was surprisingly nervous. I had a habit of saying the wrong thing or blurting something out without thinking. I don't want to make a fool of myself in front of his family. I am not going to drink too much and I am going to watch what I say to stop myself from embarrassing Christian.

We were greeted by the Grey's housekeeper who kept giving 'fuck-me' eyes to Christian. It would've made me jealous, had Christian not had an affectionate arm wrapped around me.

"There is the birthday boy!" His father announces as he steps into the luxurious foyer. The man was in black trousers and what appeared to be a _RalphLauren_ polo shirt. His brown hair was greying at the sides. "I was wondering when you'd arrive…and you brought a guest"

"Anastasia, this is my father Carrick Grey" Christian introduced us "Father, this is my girlfriend. Anastasia Steele"

 _Girlfriend?_

Christian was so formal with his father. He sounded like he was talking to a business associate and not his father. Carrick didn't seem to mind. He took my hand in his and kissed my cheek "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Ms. Steele. I missed you at the party. I had no idea my son even brought a date until my older son mentioned it"

"Anastasia wasn't feeling well that night, Father"

I had been slightly drunk that night. After an argument with Christian that resulted in him almost kissing me, we knew it was time to call it a night. We didn't want to do anything that we'd regret. He had told me that he had no interest in ruining my marriage. We both felt the spark and the connection that night.

Now it's only a month later and I am separated from my husband. I am also Christian Grey's _girlfriend_.

"That's a shame" Carrick smiles to me "My son never brings his girlfriend's home to meet the family. I can tell that he is very smitten by you, Ms. Steele"

"Ana is fine" I say "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Grey" I should compliment him! I try to think of a compliment to tell him. The first thing that comes to my mind is "You have a beautiful home!"

"Thank you. Just call me Carrick; there is no reason for us to be so formal with each other"

"You're finally here"

All three of us look up to see Mia standing at the top of the L shaped wooden staircase. She had on a gorgeous green, strapless dress. Her raven hair was curled and sat neatly on her shoulders. She looked like a supermodel walking down the stairs. She was a beautiful girl. It's a shame that she was always pouting and scowling, she probably had a beautiful smile.

"Christian" She embraced him in a cold and quick embrace "Happy Birthday"

She then realized that I was standing there. I stepped forward to greet her "I am Ana-"

"Wow…" She whispered. She gave me a strange, confused look. Her eyes flickered from me to Christian "You…you look eerily similar to-"

Carrick clapped his hands together before Mia could finish her sentence "Who wants a drink?" He asked "Christian, will your brother be here soon?"

As we walked through the house to get something to drink, I could feel Mia's eyes burning into me.

* * *

It felt like hours before Kate and Elliot arrived. I couldn't handle the tension between Christian and his family. I couldn't handle the dirty looks that Mia was giving me. Carrick was a nice man, but he seemed overly nice. When Kate and Elliot arrived, they didn't lighten up the mood, they brought it down if anything. They obviously had been arguing. Neither of them were talking to each other and they were standing at different ends of the room.

Christian must've seen how uncomfortable and awkward I was feeling, he took my hand in his and led me out of the room "I am going to give Ana a tour of the house" He told his family.

"A tour, huh?" Elliot wriggled his eyebrows at Christian.

 _Did he think we were going off to have sex!?_

Christian led me through the house and I soon learnt that the front of the house was formal and for entertaining, the back of the house was more for a family. On the walls were pictures of the children through the years. There was a wedding photo of Carrick and who I assumed to be Grace. I didn't say anything to Christian because I knew how uncomfortable it made him to talk about his mother.

A photo of a young Christian grinning at the camera caught my eyes "Oh my god" I giggled as I looked at it. He was in his school uniform. His copper hair – which was much lighter as a kid – was sticking out at all kinds of angles. His two front teeth were missing. "Look at how adorable and cute you are. How old are you there?"

"Hmm…seven or eight" He shrugs his shoulders "If I remember correctly, I knocked both my teeth out after a skateboarding incident"

"You skateboarded!?"

"No" He laughs "Not after the incident. Elliot had friends over. My parents were out and it was just my Grandparents watching us. Elliot and his friends were riding their skateboards down the driveway. I wanted to join in but Elliot told me that I was too young and I was not as good as he was on a skateboard" He smiles at the memory "I don't like being told I can't do something. I grabbed his skateboard and rode it down the driveway. I rode it all the way down to the road and didn't know how to make it stop. The board hit the gutter and I fell face first onto the neighbour's driveway"

"Oh my god…"

"Yep, my mother was horrified. Elliot and I were always trying to one-up the other. It's just what siblings do" He tells me "I broke his arm once. On his birthday, if I remember correctly. I was ten and he caught me kissing a girl down by the water. He was teasing me about it and…I broke his arm. He wasn't able to swim for the whole summer. He got me back, though. He filled water-balloons with pee and shot them at me from his bedroom window"

"Boys are horrible" I laugh.

He laughs as well "It's just what boys do. It's how we show our love"

"I am glad I never had a brother…"

Christian led me upstairs and gave me a quick tour of the second floor. He pointed out each of the bedrooms. His was at the end of the hall. There were more family photos. There was one of Christian graduating high school. His happy, toothless grin was gone. There was no happiness in his eyes. He was Mr. Serious and Sexy in that photo.

Behind a white wooden door was his bedroom. Before he opened it, he turned to me and said "I've never had a girl up here before…well…I've never had a girlfriend in here before"

He pushed open the door to reveal his very clean bedroom. It didn't look like a guest room; it still looked like a teenage boy's bedroom. The walls were a light blue. His bed was against the wall. There was a desk opposite the bed where I saw a clipboard with photos of Christian and his family. There was a photo of him with a group of boys competing in what looked like a rowing completion.

I glanced back to Christian who was sitting on the end of his bed watching me "So, that's where the killer biceps come from?" I tap the picture of him rowing.

He smiles "Yes, I competed when I was in college"

"There is so much I don't know about you…" I quietly say "Where did you go to college?"

"Harvard. I only went for three years before dropping out and starting GEH"

That did not surprise me. I leaned in to examine more of the photos on the clipboard. I felt Christian's strong arms wrap around me. I let out a squeal of surprise as he pulled me into his arms. I fell onto the bed and he fell down beside me. He brushed my hair off my face and ran his fingers down the side of my face "I always wanted to make out with a girl in my bedroom"

His lips came down onto mine and I didn't push him away, instead my hands moved into the end of his hair. His hand wrapped around the back of my neck, bringing my lips closer to his. I could lose myself to him right now. I wanted to forget about his family downstairs, and just be with him

My hands moved from his hair, to his strong shoulders. They moved down his chest to the buttons of his shirt. I slowly began to undo them until I reached the waistband of his trousers. His lips moved to my neck, kissing me in that sensitive spot just below my ear. It caused me to moan out. His hand ran along the back of my thigh, lifting my dress above my hips.

"Fuck, Anastasia…" He looked down to my black panties and garter belt. "You are so unbelievably sexy"

"I take it that you like it then?" I smile up at him "I wanted something special for your birthday"

Christian pushed my dress higher above my hips. I arched my back so her could pull the dress off my body, He was able to take in my whole outfit. He let out a growl of pleasure as he looked over my body. This was exactly the reaction I wanted from him.

Before this moment could go any further, there was a tap at the bedroom door "Mr. Grey?" It was that housekeeper who had the hots for Christian. "I came to notify you that dinner is ready"

He let out a frustrated growl. He looked over my body one last time "Fine. We'll be down in a minute" He lifted himself off my body and stood from the bed. He bent down and took my face in his hands, kissing me hard "You are mine tonight"

 _Oh my god._

* * *

When we entered the formal dining room, Kate knew what Christian and I had been up to. She smirked at me as I took my seat. Elliot wriggled his eyebrows at his brother and grinned at him. Laid out on the table was out delicious smelling meal. I wasn't sure what it was but I didn't care, I was starving.

I soon learnt that Mia helped with the meal. She even studied culinary arts in France. If she cooked this meal, then she was a great cook. I don't believe that she has a job, which is a same since she is obviously a talented chef.

Carrick asked Elliot about his business and I learnt that Elliot was currently working on renovating his grandparents' home. It was being funded by Christian. They were looking at putting it on the market. I could hear Mia huffing and puffing as she drank her wine. She obviously didn't agree with what Elliot was saying.

"So, Ana" Carrick says "I hear that you studied at WSU just like Kate, and that you were roommates in college. What a small world, huh? What did you study, Ana?"

"I studied English Literature"

"Oh, how interesting. So, do you want to become an author one day?"

"I am not sure" I smile "I'd love to write a book, but right now I am focusing on getting an internship at a publishing house. I have applied for numerous jobs and I am just waiting to hear back from them"

"Ana is being very modest" Kate says "She'd be an amazing author one day. She helped me write my valedictorian speech. She had a perfect GPA in college as well!"

As she is talking, I feel Christian's hand brush against me thigh. I jump at his touch and quickly look over to him. He has a playful smile on his face as he continues to move his hand further. He moves his hand until it is resting on the inside of my thigh. I quickly clench my thighs tightly together to stop his hand from moving any further.

"Christian…" I whisper to him.

He leans in close to my ear and whispers "Open your legs, Anastasia"

If we weren't sitting at a dinner table with the rest of his family, I'd happily obey. I couldn't let him do what he wanted to do. I wouldn't be able to look anyone in the eyes. I would be mortified if anyone caught him.

I wrapped my hand around his wrist and removed it from my leg "No" I say in a much sterner voice so he listens to me "Not here, Christian". His playful smile faded and was replaced by something much more dangerous. The look made me squirm in my seat.

 _Was he really angry that I told him no?_

Before I had time to question it, an older woman rushed into the room "Sorry, I am late. I just had business to take care of-" The woman stopped in her tracks when she saw me standing there. She stared at me sitting beside Christian.

"Elena, thank god you're here" Mia jumped up and embraced the woman "I didn't think you were going to make it"

"I would never miss Christian's birthday dinner" She smiled down to Mia. She walked over to Christian who stood to greet the woman. She kissed his cheek "How are you, darling? I apologize for being late"

"I didn't realize you were coming" He said in a tense, tight voice. "Elena, this is my _girlfriend,_ Anastasia Steele" He introduced me to the woman "Ana, this is my…friend, Elena Lincoln"

I went to stand up to greet her, but the look she gave me was one of pure hatred. I quickly sat back down in my seat. I watched as she greeted everyone around the table. She hugged everyone and kissed their cheek. Even Kate seemed happy to see her. When she sat back down again, her eyes were glaring into mine.

 _What was this woman's problem?_

Christian's good mood drastically changed after this woman arrived. I wasn't sure if the change in mood was because I told him no, or because of Elena Lincoln. There was something about her that wasn't sitting well with me. It may have been her obvious botox and eyebrow lift. It may have been the hateful way that she was looking at me. I didn't know, but there was something about her…

She obviously did not like me.

At one point during the night Elliot stood up with his beer in his hand. I watched Kate quickly run her fingers through her hair to primp it. "I just wanted to say a few words" Elliot announces. Is this the moment that he is going to propose? Kate has been waiting for it all week. "I want to welcome the beautiful Anastasia to our family. You've only known my brother a month, but I can already see the difference you've made in his life"

Elena rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath. She really did not like me.

"I have something else to say. I…I…Ahh…" He glanced down to Kate who was staring up at him with hopeful eyes. She was waiting for him to drop down on one knee and propose to her. I could see it in his eyes that he was freaking out. Oh no, Kate is going to be heartbroken if he doesn't propose tonight. She had been getting her hopes up all week.

"...I just wanted to say Happy Thirtieth to my lil' bro. We all love you Christian. So, ahh, Happy Birthday!"

He quickly sat down and took a long drink of his beer. Kate was staring at him with her mouth wide open. I think we were all expecting him to propose, but he chickened out.

* * *

After the dinner I needed a minute to catch my thoughts. I was starting to feel over-whelmed by Christian's sour mood and the death glares I was receiving from Elena Lincoln. While everyone else was in the sitting room having drinks, I excused myself to use the bathroom.

I went to the bathroom on the first floor. I took a moment to fix my makeup in the bathroom mirror. I re-applied my lipstick that had smudged from the kiss Christian had given me in his bedroom. I powdered m nose. I ran my fingers through my hair and began to fix it.

After dessert I know that Christian is going to want to leave. I am excited and nervous to go home with him. I feel like I am virgin all over again experiencing sex for the first time, I guess in some ways I am. I am not at all experienced when it comes to sex.

As I exited the bathroom, I was confronted by Elena Lincoln standing outside the bathroom door.

"I am done with the bathroom if you need to use it" I try to step past her but her hand flew out to the doorway of the door, stopping me in my path. "Excuse me…" I try to take another step but she wasn't budging.

"Anastasia was it?" She asked me. She stepped even closer to me "I am going to make myself very clear and I am only going to tell you this once" She spoke in a low, confident voice "I am sure you think that you've found the perfect man. I am sure that you are madly in love with Christian. I am sure that you think he loves you as well"

Her hawk-like eyes stared down into mine. Her brown eyes were so dark, they were almost black. They matched her long black dress that hugged her curvaceous body. Her long red nails wrapped around the white doorway.

"You are a _sweet_ girl. You sound like a smart girl as well. You need to leave Christian Grey alone. You are a nuisance in his life. You are a little pest that needs to disappear. Am I making myself clear?"

"No" I tell her. I refuse to be bullied by her "If Christian wants me to go away, he can tell me himself"

I try to step around her, but she steps in my way blocking me from leaving. She lowers her voice until it was barely a whisper. "You're not listening to me"

"No, I am not" I wasn't going to let her scare me away from Christian. "I don't know what your problem is with me but you have been giving me dirty looks all night. I am not afraid of you. If Christian doesn't want me around, he can tell me himself"

"I know him better than you do, Darling. I know that you will never be enough for him. He doesn't want a girlfriend. You are just a new toy that he will get bored of"

"What and you're any better?" I raise an eyebrow "You want him all to yourself, that's what this is about"

She tips her head back "Oh you are so sweet and innocent. Darling, I had him all to myself long ago. If I wanted him back, I could have him. I am looking out for your well-being. I know that you will never be enough and I just don't want to see you get your heartbroken by a man who will never love you-"

"Elena!"

Her arm dropped from the doorway as a furious Christian approached. It scared Elena for just a moment; she quickly stood tall and turned around to face Christian. I could see it in his eyes, he was fuming with anger. I was actually scared of what he was going to do. I was also a little turned on by angry Christian…

"What the fuck are you doing!?" He demanded.

Her smug smile returned to her face "Christian, Ana and I were just talking-"

"Talking? It didn't look like that to me!"

I stepped forward, placing my hand on his chest "Christian, it is okay. Elena was just leaving. Weren't you, Elena?"

She nods her head "Of course, it's getting late and I really should go. It was _lovely_ meeting you, Anastasia. I hope you take what I said under _very_ careful consideration" She brushes her hand against Christian's shoulder. He goes tense. His hands fisted by his side "Happy Birthday, Christian. We will have to catch up sometime over the weekend. I think I may have found a… _friend_ for you"

"Goodbye, Elena"

She stalked away, her hips swung as she walked. Christian didn't relax once she was gone. His body was still tense. His jaw was still tight. I wasn't sure who he was angrier with right now. Me or her?

He turned to me; his grey eyes had lost any of their gentleness that I saw just hours ago. They now were burning with anger. "What the fuck did she want!?"

"I…I don't know"

"You don't know? Well, what the fuck did she tell you?" He wraps his arm around my body and pulls me into the bathroom. He slams the bathroom door behind him and locks it. He snaps at me "You need to stay away from her, Anastasia. I don't want you to talk to her. I don't want you to be in the same room as her. Fuck, if I had known she was here tonight, I would never have invited you"

"Why are you so angry with me?!" I snap back at him "I didn't choose to be ambushed by her. I didn't have a choice but to talk to her because she wouldn't let me leave! She only wanted to warn me away from you…"

I replay her words in my mind; _I had him all to myself long ago_.

"You've slept with her, haven't you?"

"That's not the point-"

"Yes, it is" I throw my arms up "She is jealous of me. She wants you all to herself. Trust me; I don't want to talk to her again. I want nothing to do with that wicked, twisted…bitch! There is no reason for you to get angry at me-"

One minute I am staring into his grey eyes, the next I am pressed against the bathroom basin with his lips on mine. His hands were on my hips, holding me against his tense body. Once the shock of the kiss disappeared, I moved my hands onto Christian's shoulders and held onto his shirt. I pulled him in closer to me.

His hands moved up my body to push my hair out of my face "I didn't want her to get to you" He said before his lips moved back onto mine again "I didn't want her to get inside your head" His lips began to kiss a trail down my jaw and then to my neck. "She infuriates me, Anastasia"

He lifted my leg around his waist. His hand slid down my thigh, lifting my dress above my hips. "I need you, right now. I can't wait for dessert. I can't wait any longer, Anastasia"

This is so bad…

We cannot have sex here in a bathroom. His family is only a few rooms away. I should say no, I should tell him to stop, I should walk away, but when he kisses me in that sweet spot on my neck…I melt into his arms.

His hands move further up my thighs until his fingers hook into my panties. He quickly tugs on them, and I feel them rip apart. "Christian, they're brand new!"

He smiles at me and my anger instantly fades. He stuffs the torn panties into the pocket of his trousers "I'll buy you a new pair, Baby" His lips move back onto mine. He kisses me hard, leaving me breathless. His hand moved to the inside of my thigh. I gasped when I felt him caress me. His fingers began to rub my clit, making my body erupt in shivers.

"You are so fucking wet. Have you've been thinking about this as much as I have?"

"Yes" I nod "I have been thinking you all week"

That was all he needed to hear. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a condom. He ripped it open with his teeth in one quick tug. I eagerly pulled at the fly of his pants. I push past his boxers to his hard erection. He rolled the condom onto his endowed member. He tightened my leg around his waist and guided himself inside me.

We both moaned out in unison. My hands tighten in his hair as he began to enter and leave me. I knew I wasn't going to last long. I had been dreaming and fantasying of this moment for the past week. He had been teasing me all night. "Oh my god…"I moaned in his ear, causing him to groan out and quicken his pace "…Oh fuck…This is so bad…"

His thrusts became fast and hard. His breath was quick and frantic. "You are so fucking sexy, Baby" His lips moved to my bare shoulder. "I don't want to lose you" I heard him whisper "I cannot lose you"

Why was he so scared that he was going to lose me? I didn't plan on going anywhere…

It only took a few more strokes before I threw my head back and moaned out loudly. My orgasm tore through my body and left me shaking. "Christian…Ohhh…Fuck!" I didn't care who heard me, I didn't care about anything or anyone else in the world but him.

My orgasm pushed him over the edge. He groaned out loudly, his hands tightened on the back of my thighs and he buried his head in the crook of my neck. "Fuck" His body began to convulse and shiver as he came. "Uggh…God, Anastasia"

Slowly he relaxed on top of me. His breath was heavy against my neck. I could feel the sweat in his hair as I ran my hands through it. All the tension and anger that he had was now gone. He was once again relaxed and calm. He lifted his head to look into my eyes and I saw that my gentle Christian was back. His eyes scanned the small guest bathroom.

"This is a first for me…" He said "I've never had sex in a bathroom before"

I grin "It is definitely a first for me too, Mr. Grey. Do you think we'll ever have sex in a bed like a normal couple?"

"I don't like normal…" He gently kissed my lips again. He slowly left me and then set me on my weak feet again. My legs were still shaking. "We'll get to the bed later, Ms. Steele"

He rids of his condom in the bathroom bin. He grabs some toilet paper to clean me up. It was such a personal thing, but he did it without thinking. His grey eyes glanced up into mine "I hope you have no plans this weekend"

"Well, the only thing I had planned was spending the weekend with you"

"Good" He smiles "Because we're going away to The Hamptons. I need a weekend away with you, away from everyone else. It is another birthday present to myself"

* * *

 **So, Elena Lincoln showed her face again.**

 **Elliot didn't propose.**

 **Another lemon for you guys, how did I go on that one?**

 **And Ana and Christian are headed to The Hamptons next chapter!**

 **Everyone's secrets will be revealed in the coming chapters and I promise a lot of Ana and Christian time.**

 **Review and let me know what you think! :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **Once again I didn't have much time to edit so mind any mistakes.**

 **Now on with the story...**

* * *

Chapter 13

When Christian Grey had told Ana of his plans to whisk her away to The Hamptons for the weekend, he hadn't expected her to agree to it so willingly. He thought she'd be stubborn and not want him to spend that kind of money on her. He was pleasantly surprised when she happily agreed to it without a second thought. Of course, she thought they would be heading back to _The Fairmont_ and booking their flights for the morning.

They left the small guest bathroom hand-in-hand. They were both smiling like school children who knew they just got away with something naughty. The only person who cared about their absence was Elliot who gave his brother a knowing look. They had birthday cake, and once the candles had been blown out they said goodnight.

As much as he hated Ana's driving, he put the directions to Sea-Tac into her GPS which she followed.

"Shouldn't I pack a bag?" She asked.

"No, I already have luggage on the Jet for you"

" _How?"_

"I contacted my personal shopper at _Neiman Marcus_. She supplied me with all the clothes you'll need this weekend…Which won't be much. I have been planning this weekend all week. I knew I needed to get away with you" He reached across the car to tuck a soft strand of chestnut hair behind her ear "I need you all to myself"

A bashful smile rose on her lips. She quickly shrugged his hand away "Hey, you're distracting me. You have to save that for when we land…"

Ana had been shocked when she took in the large, matte black, Jet sitting on the tarmac. She didn't believe it was Christian's until she read **Grey Enterprise and Holdings** on the side of it in bold, silver, letters **.** She must've thought they were going to take a commercial flight out to New York. Not only where they taking his private Jet, but they were also going to be travelling in his New York Helicopter to South Hampton. He understood that this lifestyle wasn't something Ana was used to, but it was a part of his life and he wanted to share that with her.

Jason Taylor would be joining them on their trip and he was waiting for them in the cabin of the Jet. The flight attendant Natalie offered to get them anything they may need, but they were fine. They had to wait twenty minutes before they were able to unbuckle their seatbelt. Once it was safe, he happily took his off and led Ana to the waiting bedroom.

"Oh my god" She said as she looked around the room. It was really a basic room with a king sized bed against the wall and a wardrobe, an ensuite bathroom attached to it. Ana walked into the bathroom and he heard her call out "There is a shower and a spa bath in here! How is that even possible?"

He watched as she exited the bathroom. She had a look of amazement on her face as she took it all in "This is…insane, Christian. The bedroom and bathroom is the size of my old house. It's a lot to take in"

"I know" He takes her beautiful face in his hands. He tips her chin up until her eyes are looking into his "But, I want to share this with you. I make a lot of money and I work hard for it. Now for the first time in my life I am able to share that money with someone"

"I don't want you for your money, Christian. You could only have a dollar to your name and I'd still lo-" She quickly stopped herself before she finished that word. "-I'd still care for you the same way"

She almost said she loved him. When Sub's in the past had told Christian they loved him, or even liked him more than what was accepted, his first response was always to freak out. He thought he was a man who was incapable of love and incapable of being loved. Maybe, that wasn't true anymore…

He didn't want to dwell on it. He just wanted to be with Anastasia. He stepped closer to her and bent down until his lips were on her neck. "You know, we have a five hour flight ahead of us…" His hands gently slid up her soft thighs, he could feel her sexy garter-belt underneath his hands "…That's a lot of air-time. We also have this big bed all to ourselves; it would be a shame if we didn't take advantage of it"

She pulled away from Christian's lips; she wrapped her arms around his neck and stared into his grey eyes "You also have three hours left of your birthday" She takes him by surprise when she pushes him down onto the bed. "I better give you the rest of your birthday presents"

She crawled onto his lap and kissed him hard. She was telling him that she would be in control right now, and he couldn't be more turned on. Her lips were frantic on his and her hands were pulling at his shirt. She forcibly ripped it open and sent a button flying across the room. She wasn't aware of it, and if she was, she didn't care. She threw Christian's shirt over her shoulder and pushed him down onto the bed.

He laid back and watched in a trance as she pulled her dress up above her head. Her body was…perfect. There was no other way for him to describe it. She dropped her dress down onto the floor. "Will Taylor be able to hear us?"

"No" His hands travelled up her thighs, to her small hips, her skinny waist, and then up to her, round, breasts. They had the shape of perfectly proportioned tear-drops. "Even if he can, he won't listen. I already told you that he is very discreet"

Her fingers gently ran down his chest and then abs. Her hands continued to the waistband of his trousers. She gently bent down and brought her lips to his again. Her lips began to kiss a trail from his lips, to his jaw, then his neck. This was all a new sensation to him. In the past, he'd never allow a sub to kiss him like this.

Her lips moved to his chest, a place that no one had kissed him before. Her nails scratched along his abs as her lips moved further down his body. He realized what she was going to do, and his dick strained against his pants.

Her blue eyes glanced up at Christian through her eyelashes before her lips kissed down his happy-trail. As she kissed down his body, her hand reached out to pull the zipper of his pants down. A moment later and he was eagerly wriggling out of his trousers and pulling them down his legs. He pulled his boxers down with it. He was completely bare and at Anastasia's will. It wasn't how he pictured his night going, but he was happy to let her take control right now.

Her hand gently reached out to stroke his length. Her hands were soft and shaking as she felt him in her hand for the first time. "I've never done this before" She nervously whispered "But it is your birthday…"

He watched as her lips slowly lowered down onto his waiting dick. This wasn't his first blowjob, but it felt like it. Her full lips wrapped around him and sucked from the base all the way to the tip. Her tongue swirled around the head before she lowered herself back down. She didn't need to have experience; she was already a fucking pro.

"Ana…" Her blue eyes briefly opened and locked onto Christians "Uggh…Fuck…"

He was resisting the urge to thrust further into her mouth. His hand soon found its way into the back of her hair. He fisted a handful of chestnut curls in his fingers. She let out a muffled moan when he gently pulled on her hair. Her pace quickened on his dick.

"I am not going to last long…" He warned her. "Oh fuck…Anastasia…I am going to cum"

She didn't pull away, if anything she sucked harder. All it took was one more flick of her tongue on the head of his dick for him to cum. "Fuck!" He shuddered and felt himself release in her mouth. She didn't pull away. She continued to suck him until there was nothing left.

He was left a breathless mess on the bed. His hands ran though his hair as he tried to calm down after that orgasm. It had been a while since Christian had been blown away like that. For someone who had never done that before, she certainly knew what she was doing.

She kissed his happy trail and then his abs. She continued to kiss up his body until her eyes were looking down into his. She had a smug look on her face. "You are amazing" He growled and took her lips with his. She reached back and began to guide herself down onto Christian's dick. He quickly stopped her "I have condoms in my wallet…which is in the back pocket of my pants"

She happily climbed off his lap. He sat up and watched as she walked across the room in her heels, stockings and bra. Her long hair was hanging down her back. She bent down – not bothering to hide herself from Christian – and pulled out his wallet from his pants.

"When we return to Seattle I will contact my doctor. It would be wise for you to go on the pill or at least get the depo-shot"

"Do we have to talk about this now?" She asks as she returns to the bed with multiple condoms in hand "It's so not sexy to talk about"

"I know, but we have to. I certainly do not want a child anytime soon. In the middle of your divorce, I doubt you want one either"

"No, definitely not"

"If there was a pill for men to take, I would take it in a heartbeat, Baby. I'll call Dr Greene over the weekend and you can talk to her about what birth-control you want to take" He pulled her into his arms between his legs. He began to kiss her flat stomach. His mouth moved up to her soft breasts. His hands reached behind her to unclasp her bra

"As sexy as this bra is, Baby, it needs to go" He chucked it somewhere away from him. Ana moved until she was straddling his lap "That is much better"

* * *

Now he was lying in bed with her in his arms. Her head was on his chest; her finger was tracing the number eight into his chest and down his abdomen. Her touch was so soft and gentle. Her leg was thrown over his and pulling him in closer to her. His fingers were running up and down her spine, every now and then she'd let out a shiver.

As sweet as this moment was, he couldn't help but feel anxious and scared. He knew what needed to happen this weekend. He knew he had to be honest with her about his past before their relationship moved forward. Things were already becoming serious between them and there was a good chance that she would want nothing to do with him after she found out the truth of what Christian was, or what he had done…

She shifted against him until she was looking up at him "Christian?"

"Hmm…"

"Was Elliot going to propose to Kate tonight?" Ana asks

"What makes you think that?"

"Kate found a ring receipt in the pocket of Elliot's jeans. She was convinced he was going to propose tonight. I thought you'd know something about it" She looks down at Christian's guilty smirk "And you do, don't you?"

"I may or may not have been there when he picked out the ring" He explained "It doesn't surprise me that he didn't propose. This time last year he was dating multiple women and swearing that he'd never commit to just one. He was a notorious playboy and now all of a sudden he wants to become a family man"

She folds her arms on his chest and rests her head there. "You don't think he loves Kate?"

Christian shrugs "I don't believe that love comes into it. She might be the love of his life, but it all depends on whether he is ready to be with her or not. Right now I don't think he is ready to get married and have a family. Then again, what do I know, I've never had a real relationship"

"You are his brother, though"

He could see she had another thing on her mind. He reached up and gently ran a hand through her chestnut curls. "What?" He asks "I can see that you're thinking about something. What is it?"

"I was just…" She let out a frustrated sigh "I…" Ana quickly sits ups, she hugs the white sheet to her bare chest. "Elena said something to me and it has stuck with me all night. She told me that she had you first and that if she wanted you back, she could have you"

 _That fucking bitch._

The thought of Elena ambushing Ana still angered him. He didn't want someone as evil and twisted as her to come anywhere near Ana. "She should never have spoken to you tonight. She shouldn't have been there. I don't know why the fuck Mia thought it was a good idea to invite her"

"Is what she said true?" He had been hoping to avoid that question "That…she had you first and if she wanted to, she could have you back"

Christian sat up until he was leaning on his forearms. "No" He tells her "She can't have me whenever she wants me. I have no attraction to her whatsoever, if anything she repulses me now"

"Now?"

"Yes" He had to be honest with her. This weekend away was about Christian opening up and telling Anastasia everything. "When I was fifteen, Elena and I had…an affair"

" _Fifteen!?"_

"Yes, I know it sounds young. At fifteen, a teenage boys fantasy is hot, older, women. I was not taken advantage of, Ana"

"How old was she?"

"I don't know, late thirties"

"What would a woman in her late thirties want with a fifteen year old?"

"She helped me. In a weird, twisted, way, she helped me through a lot of my issues. I was one more fight away from being expelled. I was a horrible, rude, disrespectful, kid. I would've ended up on the streets or in jail had she not helped me" He explained to her "When I was in college, she loaned me one-hundred-thousand dollars to start GEH. I worked hard to pay her back every cent"

"Were you in love with her?"

He quickly shakes his head "God, no. It wasn't that kind of relationship. It was purely sexual, there was no love between us. There was a mutual understand of what would be expected from the relationship"

"Like what?"

"Like…certain sexual deeds. I wasn't allowed to tell my classmates or my family about what I was doing. I had to focus in school and work on my grades. I had to follow Elena's rules and if I didn't…I would be punished"

"Like what?" She asked with a hint of humour in her voice "You'd get spanked like some kind of child?"

"Sometimes. It may sound horrible, but I was always willing and I enjoyed it"

"Is that why you never had girlfriends? Because you were with _Mrs. Robinson_ "

Christian smiled at the nickname he used for her "Yes. I wasn't allowed to be with other girls. I did once in college. I thought I should be more like my brother and have a pointless hook up. I don't know how, but word got back to Elena, and I was punished for it"

"How long were you with her for?"

"From the age of fifteen to twenty-one"

"Does your family know this?"

"No. If they knew, I doubt they'd be inviting her over for dinner"

He could see that she had more questions to ask him and he would answer them over the weekend. He returned to lying on the soft mattress and held his arm out for Ana to cuddle into him again. For a moment he worried whether or not Ana would lay back down with him. She did, though. She returned her head to his chest.

"I never had feelings for her" He explains to Ana "I was a horny, out of control, teenager. She offered me control and sex…that's all it ever was. I don't love her, I don't want to be with her, and she can't have me whenever she wants me"

She tips her head back and brings her lips closer to his. "I trust you" She takes his stubbly jaw in her hands to kiss him. She pulled away from the kiss with a playful smile on her lips. "You are mine now, Christian Grey"

* * *

The house that he rented in South Hampton was just as beautiful as I thought it was going to be. The house was one of five weather board mansions that sat on the water. It was four bedroom and gorgeous inside with the furnishings going for a nautical design. We arrived early in the morning after a nervous trip by helicopter. I had no idea that Christian was able to fly one and when he got in the driver's seat I almost had a heart-attack.

The first thing either of us did after arriving was go to sleep for an hour. I managed to get a few hours of sleep on the Jet after Christian wore me out, but I know that he didn't get any sleep. I am not sure what was going on, but he seemed quieter than usual.

After a long nap that lasted well into the morning, I woke up alone in the big four-poster-bed. I rolled out of bed in just his blue dress-shirt from the night before. I had one of the best three hours of sleep that I had had in years. I walked down the white wooden, U shaped stairs and through the house to the open kitchen/dining/living area.

I found Christian shirtless at the stove with a pan and what looked to be pancake mixture. He looked unbelievably sexy with his copper hair a mess and he was only wearing his underwear. I stayed in the archway and watched as he struggled to scrap the pancake of the bottom of the pan. Something told me that he wasn't the best cook.

"Fuck!" He swore out loudly as he scraped the pancake batter into the sink. He returned to the stove and poured some more mixture into the pan. He barely waited ten seconds before trying to flip the pancake over. Half of it stayed in the pan, the other half fell on the stove. "Fucking hell. This is a piece of fucking shit. Fuck-"

He saw me standing in the doorway and his frustrations were replaced by a happy smile.

"-Good morning, Baby"

"Morning" I slowly made my way into the room. I braced myself against the white kitchen island that Christian was cooking at. "What're you trying to do?"

"Make you breakfast" He tells me as he once again scrapes the batter into the sink "I found a pancake mixture in the cupboard. I thought it looked simple enough; all I had to do was add milk. But, apparently it is harder than it looks. The first one came out great, but the rest are fucked!"

I smile and walk around the bench. I place my hand on his bicep and gently move him away from the stove. I take the spachelor from his hands "For starters you have the stove turned up too high" I turn it down. I then grab a handful of paper towel "You have to clean the pan and the spachelor after every batch of pancakes. That's part of the reason why you're having so much difficulty with flipping them. Not to mention you have to wait at least thirty seconds before flipping them. You'll know when they're ready to be flipped because little bubbles will appear…"

I can feel his body pressed behind me. His hands wander up my thighs underneath my shirt. I feel his warm breath on my neck. His teeth bite onto my earlobe. His fingers inched closer between my thighs "Hey!" I slap his hand away with the spachelor "No distracting the chef"

"Yes, ma'am" He removed his hands and with one hard slap to my bottom, he stepped away. He opened the fridge and pulled out a carton of Orange Juice which he drank from and then put it back in the fridge. Boys were gross. He must've seen the look of disgust on my face and he just laughed at me.

"Babe, we've had each other's genitals in our mouths. Yet this is what you're going to get grossed out about?" He came and stood beside me again. "So, Anastasia, what are our plans today? Beach? Pool? Sun-bathing? Sex?"

"The beach sounds good" I said. I looked out the large windows to the ocean. It was flat and the water looked beautiful. "I want to sun-bathe as well"

"Whatever you want, Baby" He tells me "We'll do whatever you want during the day, but tonight I have plans for us"

"Oh, what kind of plans?"

I was hoping it was the kind of plans that would involve minimal clothing. The seriousness in his voice told me otherwise, though.

"I want to talk to you about something important" He walks over to where I stood in front of the pan. He wraps an arm around my waist and presses his lips to the top of my head. "I am going to have a quick shower before we have breakfast"

I watched as he walked out of the room. He ran a hand through his already messy copper hair, which was a sign that he was worried, anxious, or frustrated. Why was he worried about tonight? What did he need to tell me that was so important?

Now I was worried, too.

* * *

After breakfast on the deck, I showered and prepared myself for the day. I opened my suitcase's to find an array of clothing items that I would never pick for myself. The clothes were all colourful, bright, colours and not my usual selection of grey, white, or black. I doubt that Christian's personal shopper packed me any jeans or plain T-shirts.

They did pack me numerous pairs of shorts and tank tops. Skirts with floral designs. A wide selection of sun dresses. Very skimpy and lacy lingerie. Sandals, heels, and ankle boots. Not to mention the tiny string bikinis! I might as well wear nothing, because the bikinis barely covered anything. I ended up settling on a loose, white, sundress that had buttons down the front and a floral design on the skirt. I put on a red bikini underneath the dress.

Our first stop was in the busy town. There was a market down by the ocean and after pleading with Christian, I convinced him to walk around it with me. It was strange to watch Christian Grey in such a normal, mundane, kitsch, place. We looked at all the stalls, we even brought some things. A jewellery store caught my eyes and Christian brought me an ankle bracelet from the old lady who ran the store. He bent down on the ground and clasped it around my foot.

It was a sweet moment until he whispered in my ear "When I fuck you tonight, I only want you wearing that bracelet"

We continued walking around, hand-in-hand. I was aware of Taylor standing twenty feet away from us. He followed us around the stalls and for the most part he blended in with grounds. Of course he was a tall man who was built with muscle. He would stand out in any crowd.

We stopped at a donut truck and I couldn't help myself. I dragged Christian towards the food truck and with a growl, he followed me. "You realize how horrible donuts are for you?"

"Yes" I smile at him as we stand in the long line "But, I don't care"

I felt my phone vibrate in my saw satchel handbag. I took my attention off Christian and opened my bag to see who was messaging me. I pulled my phone out and saw that I had two messages. One was from my father, the other was an email. I checked my father's message first.

 _Hey Annie, we didn't talk last Tuesday. Call me. I want to make sure you're okay._

On Tuesday I had been busy getting my mother out of the house, and packing my bags. I forgot to call my father and have my weekly chat with him. I was also scared to call him. I know that the next time I call him; I am going to have to tell him that Jose and I are divorcing. I haven't even spoken to Jose in a week. The last time we talked was last Saturday.

I close my message and go into my emails. I see an email from _Seattle Independent Publishing._

"How long does it take to make a fucking donut?" Christian impatiently growls.

My heart was racing as I opened the email. I was scared of what it would say. I had been hoping that they would have some entry level position open for me. I don't mind working my way up from the bottom. I don't care what the job position is, as long as I am working and using my degree.

* * *

 _Dear, Anastasia Rodriguez,_

 _Thank you for applying for work at Seattle Independent Publishing. We appreciate your interest in our company._

 _Due to financial issues we are unable to employ any new persons at this time. Although, we were impressed with your qualifications, we are unable to move your application forward. We will keep your resume and contact you if any positions open up. We wish you the best of luck on your job search._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Elizabeth Morgan._

* * *

I didn't get the job.

I knew this was a possibility, and I told myself not to get my hopes up. I knew that sending in my resume would be a risk. I anticipated that this would happen…Yet, I still feel deflated. I would've loved that job.

"What's wrong?" Christian asks me.

"Oh, Nothing…" I shake my head. He raises a single dark eyebrow at me. He can see through my bullshit. He knows that something is wrong. "I just got an email from a potential job, I didn't get it"

"You've been applying for work?"

"Yep"

"Where?"

"I applied for a job in a Seattle publishing company. _Seattle Independent Publishing._ I didn't get it though. I don't think they can afford to hire new staff" For whatever reason, Christian was angry. His body had once again gone rigid and tense. His lips formed in a tight line. His hand held onto mine tightly. "They can't hire new staff right now. It is okay, I can just apply for work elsewhere. You don't have to get angry about it"

His hand dropped from mine. He reached into his back pocket for his phone that he quickly put to his ear. He stepped away from me "I have to make a call"

* * *

The rest of the day Christian tried his best to distract me. We spent the day down by the water at the beach. It was a public beach, but no one paid us any attention. I sunbathed on the sand in my red bikini. Christian lathered me in sun-lotion every hour. He was adamant that I wasn't allowed to get a sun-burn. He also just wanted an excuse to run his hands over my body.

I soon learnt that Christian wasn't someone who could lay still. He could not sun-bathe with me. He could not lay there and just relax. He either needed to be on his phone, walking around, or trying to make out with me. I never realized how restless and impatient he was.

He was like a child.

After an afternoon at the beach, we returned back to the house. Christian told me to go upstairs and get ready for dinner. He had another business call to make. I had another quick two minute shower to wash any sand off my body. After showering, I straightened my long hair which took me twenty minutes. I looked through my suitcase of clothes and tried to find something to wear.

There were four evening dresses to choose from, all of them were tight and short. I settled on a sky blue dress. It was skin tight, thick over the shoulder straps, and went mid-thigh. I applied the makeup that Christian's shopper had also packed for me. He had brought me a brand new wardrobe. I also wore the heels that I had worn last night. I felt sexy and ready for whatever Christian had planned tonight.

"You ready, Baby!?"

I heard him call out from downstairs. I did a once over in the mirror before leaving the bedroom. I carefully walked down the stairs which was surprisingly hard in my heels. I walked through the foyer and into the open living space. The lights were turned down low. I could see Christian standing on the deck. He had put a white cloth over the glass table. There were a number of candles in the middle of the table. He had poured us both a glass of wine. There was even two plates of food set up with what looked like Chinese.

"Wow" I say as I step outside onto the wooden deck. "This is very romantic"

I wrapped my arms over Christian's shoulders, his hands rested on the sides of my body. "You look…gorgeous" He gently kissed my lips. "C'mon, we need to eat before the food gets cold. I'd love to take credit for it, but we both know that I didn't make it"

He pulled my chair out and I sat down. He quickly took his chair opposite me. When he sat down, I noticed the briefcase that was settled against his chair. Why would he need a briefcase to a romantic dinner?

He had said he had something important to tell me.

We began to eat, and I could feel the tense atmosphere between us. There was something going on and I had no idea what. My eyes kept glancing over to the briefcase that was against the chair. My mind was going crazy with possibilities of what he needed to tell me.

Out of all the whacky, crazy, things that I came up with, I had never expected what he was about to tell me.

"Anastasia" His tone had become serious. His eyes kept moving from my eyes to the table. He took a deep breath. He was nervous. "I have…There is something I have to tell you. I need to tell you now before our relationship moves any further. I know that once you find out this information about me, you may not want to be with me anymore"

I smile "I seriously doubt that, Christian"

He picked up the briefcase. He opened it and pulled out a stack of white papers. He looked over the pages one more time before handing them across the table to me. "This is the easiest way for me to tell you what I need to tell you. I want you to keep an open mind with what you are about to read. Once you have finished, I will answer any and all of your questions. No doubt, you'll have a lot of them"

Looking at the paper I soon learnt that this was a contract, but not just any normal contract.

"The following are the terms of a binding contract between the Dominant and the Submissive…"

* * *

 **So, Christian has come clean about his relationship with Elena.**

 **Ana didn't get the job at SIP, what will Christian do?**

 **Christian is coming clean about his past, how will Ana react?**

 **I am going away for the weekend so I probably wont be able to post chp 14 until Tuesday/Monday.**

 **Review and let me know what you think! :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **So, after a weekend in a 3-bedroom cabin with 4 children and 4 adults, a six hour trip through Sydney traffic, and taking care of a toddler with conjunctivitis...I have finally finished this chapter!**

 **I have had a plan for this story since the beginning. I have wrote out what I wanted to happen in every chapter. These next few chapters were the ones I have been looking forward to writing the most. All the secrets will be revealed...that includes Grace's death.**

* * *

Chapter 14

"…We the undersigned have read and understood fully the provisions of this contract. We freely accept the terms of this contract and have acknowledged this by our signatures below"

I didn't understand what I just read. Yes, I understood that this was a contract for a BDSM relationship. I understood what a _Dominant_ and a _Submissive_ were. I understood their roles in this relationship and what would be expected from them. What I didn't understand was how Christian could be this man? The man that would've written and signed this contract was completely different to the one sitting across from me.

He didn't say a word as I read it. He chewed on his fingernail. His leg was bouncing under the table. His eyes were locked on mine. He was waiting for me to say something. I had so many questions and so many things to say, but I just couldn't get any words out.

So many things made sense to me now. Christian's attitude towards normal relationships had confused me in the past. I didn't understand how such a handsome, successful, and wealthy, man could go his life without having girlfriend. He didn't want a girlfriend because he was in a different kind of relationship.

There were things that his brother and sister had said to me the night of the party that had confused me. Elliot had had assumed that I was one of his _girls_. Mia had told me to run as far and as fast as I could away from Christian. She told me she didn't want me to be like his other _girls_. His family knew about this… _lifestyle_.

This was all so confusing…

"Do you have any questions?"

I didn't know what to say.

"Ana, say something. Yell at me. Tell me I am a monster. Tell me that you're disgusted with me. Say something, please"

There was one question that I desperately needed answered before I could go on. "Is this what you want from me, Christian? Do you want me to be your… _Submissive_?"

"No!" He quickly reaches across the table to grasp my hand "I don't want to have that relationship with you. I don't want to be your Dom. I have stepped away from that lifestyle and I am not going back. I only showed you the contract because it is the easiest way for me to explain everything to you. I wanted you to understand that the interactions I had with my submissive's were always consensual and we both knew what we were getting into"

"So, there was more than one woman who you had this kind of relationship with?"

"Yes"

"How many?"

He takes a moment to think about it. That doesn't make me feel any better. "There have been nineteen over the past nine years. Though, this past year I haven't been very active in the lifestyle"

I wasn't angry that he practiced BDSM. I wasn't thrilled about it either. I wasn't sure how I felt or how I was supposed to react to this information. The only emotion I was feeling right now was confusion.

I am then reminded of what Christian told me last night about Elena. She had offered him control and sex. They had an agreement between them and they had certain acts that they had to perform. Christian had been punished in the past for disobeying the rules.

"Did you have a BDSM relationship with Elena Lincoln? Were you her Dom?"

"No" He quickly says "I was her submissive for six years. Once Elena and I were finished, I then switched roles and became a Dom. She helped me find submissive's that suited my requirements best. She understood what I needed"

"Do you still _need_ submissive's?" I ask. I couldn't hide the hurt in my voice. "Because I want to be with you, Christian, but I don't think I can give you this. I can't be the girl who would happily give up her control and will to you. If you think you can train me into being that girl-"

"I don't want that" He says with a frustrated sigh. He moves from his wooden chair. He walks around the glass table and kneels down in front of me. He takes my hands in his and looks me in the eyes. "I stepped away from that lifestyle. When I first met you, I thought that I wanted you to be my sub. You captured my attention the moment I stepped inside that Hardware Store"

"You're too innocent, sweet, loving, and gentle, for me to ever do to you the things I did to Sub's in the past. The things I have done disgusts me. My family found out about me being a Dom. My little sister can't even look me in the eyes. The last thing that my mother would've thought of me before she died was that I am a monster"

"I don't want to be that man anymore. I was always ashamed of myself and the lifestyle that I was hiding. With you, I forget that I am that man. I feel like a completely different person, and I like this person a lot more than the miserable, depressed, isolated Christian that I was a year ago"

He bows his head down in shame.

"I understand if you want nothing to do with me now…"

I let go of his hands and pulled them out of his tight grip "Christian…" I gently run my fingers through his dark hair. I moved my hands to his jaw and lifted his head to look me in the eyes again "I don't know how to feel right now. I don't know what to think of that contract. I don't understand the BDSM lifestyle. I am so confused right now"

"I should never have given you that contract…It was too much for you to take in. I fucked up didn't I?"

I could see the look of deflation in his eyes. I moved my hands to rest on either side of his stubbly jaw "As confused as I am, the only thing I know for sure right is that…I am falling madly in love with you, Christian Grey"

His head perked up in surprise. He really had thought that I was going to walk away from him. "You are? You don't want to walk away?"

"No!" I say. I can't help but smile at his look of shock and surprise "If you tell me that you're done with that lifestyle and you don't need it anymore, than I believe you. As long as you're honest with me, than I am okay"

He let out a breath of relief. His head rested on my thighs "Oh, thank fuck" He raised his head to look me in the eyes again "I am done, Ana. I have been done for the past year. I want you, I want to be with you, and I want a life with you!"

He rose off the ground and brought his lips to mine again. He kissed my lips tenderly. I could feel the urgency in his kiss. He had been so scared that I would walk away. His past lifestyle confused me and I wasn't sure how I felt about it. That didn't mean that I was going to walk away from him. I knew that I was madly in love with this man and I saw myself having a future with him. I wasn't going to throw that possible future away because Christian didn't have a…traditional past when it came to relationships.

"I need you" He said against my lips. His moved down my jaw and then down to my neck, causing me to moan out. "I need to make love to you, Baby"

I eagerly shook my head. My arms circled his neck and in a heartbeat he lifted me into his arms. My legs wrapped around his waist with his hands tightly holding the back of my thighs. He walked me inside with his lips still on mine. My fingers ran through his hair and pulled at the ends of it. I wanted to feel as close to him as I possibly could.

As he walked me upstairs, I opened the buttons of his white button down shirt. I pulled it down his strong shoulders; he wriggled out of it and dropped his shirt somewhere on our path to the bedroom. I kicked off my heels and they fell down the U shaped stairs. I pulled my arms out of the thick straps of my dress. I wanted to get our clothes off, pronto.

He set me on my feet again once we were in the bedroom. He had to bend down in order to kiss me, which I found strangely sexy. His hands move up the side of my body and wrapped around my back. They found the zipper of my dress which he swiftly pulled down. My dress fell off my body and dropped to the floor. I kicked it aside.

His hand wrapped around the back of my neck, bringing it closer to his lips. "I am not going to be happy with just a weekend away with you, Anastasia" He said as he continued kissing down my neck. His fingers caressed the side of my breasts. He dropped down to his knees and started to kiss down my stomach "I want the week away with you, Anastasia. Name any place in the world and we'll leave tomorrow. Where do you want to go?"

I open my eyes and look down into his grey ones "We can't just…leave. You have to work"

"I don't care about that. I have my phone. I have my laptop. I can work from anywhere. Tell me where you want to go?"

I can't stop the smile that spreads over my face. I start laughing and shaking my head "Christian, I am happy here with you. We could be in a trashy hotel in Seattle, and I wouldn't care. I just want to spend time with you"

He grins "Okay" His lips returned to kissing down my stomach. They kissed just above the band of my lacy panties. "Then we'll stay here in The Hampton's for a week…"

He pulled my underwear down my legs and I stepped out of it. I stepped back until the back of my knees connected with the bed. I fell back on the soft mattress and Christian followed. He pressed a hand against the inside of my thighs, opening them to him. I felt his lips press against my thigh. I knew what was coming next, and I shivered with anticipation. His lips continued moving further and further up my thigh.

"Oh..."I gasped out as his lips pressed against me. My hips bucked up and he placed a firm hand on my stomach, holding me down as his lips began to pleasure me. I shut my eyes and let my teeth sunk into my lip. "Oh…my…god"

He opened my thighs further, and his lips pressed harder against me "Open your eyes, Anastasia"

I opened them and looked down to his intense grey eyes. I moaned out loudly. For the first time, we could be as loud as we wanted. We weren't in a club, or in the back of a car, or in a bathroom, or in a Jet. For the first time, we were truly alone.

It didn't take much for me to orgasm. I squirmed on top of the soft bed and Christian held me down. My fingers fisted in his copper hair as I called out. My stomach began to quiver and my thighs trembled "Christian…Oh, my god…"

Once my orgasm subsided, Christian moved up my body again. He kissed me hard. His hands moved under my arms, he lifted me with ease and threw me higher up the bed. He pulled his shorts and then his boxers down and crawled up the bed until he was kneeling between my thighs. He looked so unbelievably sexy right now.

He reached above me to the bedside table and pulled a condom out of the box of fifty. I confidently took it from him and ripped open the foil packet. I reached out and stroked his rigid, hard, member in my hands. He let out a low groan. I very carefully slid the condom on; I didn't want to make a mistake when it came to birth control.

He bent down and captured my lips in a soft, loving kiss. I was surprised at how gentle he was being. All our sexual encounters had been heated, feverish, frenzied, moments. "I want to take this slow" He said against my lips. He covered my body with his and reached between us to guide himself inside me. I moaned out as slowly, inch by inch he filled me.

"Oh…" My forehead rested against his shoulder. It didn't matter how many times we have had sex, my body still needed a minute to accommodate him.

He set the soft rhythm and I raised my hips to meet his every movement. He moved a hand behind my neck to keep my eyes locked on his. I couldn't look away from his dilated, grey eyes. He was taking this slow, and he was making love to me.

I let my hands roam over his body, from his muscly back, to his strong biceps. I loved every inch of his handsome body. I pressed my lips to his neck and then to his chest. I heard him groan out in a strained voice "Fuck, Anastasia, I don't want to cum yet…I don't want to stop…"

He stopped his movement and reached up to the wooden headboard above my head. He grabbed it painfully tight until his knuckles turned white. He was straining to hold onto control, and I loved that. I loved that I could do this to him. I loved that I could make him feel the same amount of pleasure as I felt when I am with him.

He lifted my head and his lips came back to mine again. Slowly he continued with his pace. He pulled away from the kiss and rested his forehead against mine. I couldn't stop the moan that came from my body as I stared up into his eyes. "Oh, Christian…"

I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I was in love with him. He didn't need to tell me how deep his feelings were for me, because I felt it in the way he caressed me and looked at me.

He loved me.

* * *

Christian left me in bed after making love to me. I was happily sedated and floating on cloud nine. I was spread out under the thin, white, sheet and hugging my pillow beneath my head. Christian needed to clean up our mess from downstairs and lock up for the night.

As happy as I was, I couldn't help but feel some anxiety about what I found out tonight. I know that I am now in deep with Christian. I know that our relationship isn't just a fling. I'd be completely heartbroken if in a months' time he breaks up with me because he needs a sub, not a girlfriend.

I hear him walking up the stairs and a moment later he is coming through the double doors with just his boxers on. I also see the dreaded briefcase in his hand. He walks into the wardrobe and places it by his suitcase. He had brought it with him on our trip, which means he planned tonight. Is that the reason we were here together in The Hamptons?

"What's wrong?" He asks as he returns into the bedroom. He pulled down his boxers and quickly wriggled out of them. I don't know how, but he was still hard and erect. "Ana?"

"Hmm…"

"You look worried. Are you thinking about the contract?"

"It's hard not to" I say quietly. I feel the bed shift under Christian's weight as he enters the bed "I am not going to leave you because you had alternative relationships in the past. I am just trying to make sense of it. I have never experienced anything like BDSM before. I don't understand it"

"What do you want to know about it?"

I shrug my shoulders "I don't know. I know that everything is consensual and that both parties completely understand what they're getting into when they sign that contract. I understand that it isn't just pain…but pleasure as well"

"Yes, it can be very pleasurable for a sub. Some couples do role-playing in the bedroom; it's like a more intense version of that. I had a whole room dedicated to BDSM. I had all my equipment and everything I could need as a Dom in that room"

I curiously ask "Do you still have it?"

"No, I will be putting my apartment on the market once it has been renovated. I don't think it would be wise to keep my playroom in for potential buyers" He explains. I feel his lips on my shoulder and his fingers running up and down my back. "Are you sure you're okay with this? I don't want it to be an issue for us"

I turn onto my bed and look up to his beautiful face. His fingers were gently caressing up and down my waist "Were you in love with your submissive's?"

"No. Never"

"Was it always bondage and spanking? Did you sometimes have normal, plain-old, vanilla sex with them?"

He smiles at that question and shakes his head "No. It was always bondage and spanking. The only woman I have had plain-old, vanilla, sex with is you" He leans in closer to my lips and kisses me "I never thought I would enjoy plain-old, vanilla sex as much as I do"

Before the kiss can become anything more, I pull away from his lips "Was Elena Lincoln your first?"

"She was never my sub"

"No, I don't mean like that. I mean, was she your first…as in…did you lose your virginity to her?"

"Yes…"

"And was your first time in a playroom?"

"No" He thinks for a moment "It wasn't in a playroom, but it also wasn't a romantic moment. I had a summer job working in her yard. I was outside doing work when she came outside, slapped me in the face and then kissed me. The next time I went to work, she seduced me. She'd sunbathe topless, she'd flirt with me, and she'd sneak little touches in. I couldn't wait to go to work"

It disgusted me to hear this. What she did was so wrong and Christian didn't see or realize that. He doesn't feel as if he were taken advantage of because he was a horny teenager living out any teenage boy's fantasy. If the roles were reversed and it was a thirty year old man with a fifteen year old girl, he'd face ten years in prison.

"Eventually the teasing became too much and I was willing to do whatever the fuck she wanted. If she wanted me to bark like a dog, I'd bark like a dog if it meant I could have sex with her. My first time wasn't in the playroom, but she did tie me to the bed and blindfolded me. It was a watered down version of what she wanted from me"

"So, BDSM is all you've ever known?"

"I…I guess so. I've never really thought of it like that"

"How did your family find out?"

"I had a crazy ex-sub" He tells me "She did something and…and I had to tell them"

"What did she do?"

His jaw goes tense. I know that look. He is about to shut himself off from me. "She did something. I don't want to talk about _her_ "

I can see that he doesn't want to talk about it further. I wanted to know what his crazy ex-sub had done to force him to tell his family about his hidden life. I was going to leave it for tonight. I instead had other questions for him "Is she the reason you stepped away from being a Dom?"

"Mostly, yes" His lips rose up in a small, shy, smile "You're also part of the reason why I stepped away. I knew I wanted you, and I also knew that you would make a horrible Sub"

"Hey!" I laugh.

"It's true. I knew I wanted you and the only way that I was going to have you was by having a normal, vanilla, relationship…then I was willing to do that" He runs his fingers through my hair and brushes it off my face "Like I said earlier, I am proud of the man that I am when I am with you. I am proud to take you home and meet my family. I can't wait for the day that I can introduce you to the world as my girlfriend"

"God, I wish I had met you first…" He tells me.

I understood what he was saying. Some days I do wish that I had met him first. I wondered what my life would be like if I had been stronger and not married Jose at twenty-one. Would I have even met Christian? Would I be the woman that I am right now without the experience that I have had over the past two years?

I was just grateful that he was in my life now.

I wanted to show him just how grateful I was. I wrapped my arms around Christian's neck and pulled him down to my lips. I wrapped my leg around his waist and rolled him onto his back.

* * *

I woke up the following morning before Christian. I expected him to be up making me breakfast, or watching me sleep; instead he was fast asleep in bed beside me. He was lying on his back with an arm thrown above his head; his other hand was resting on his firm abs. He looked so peaceful when he slept. I didn't have the heart to wake him up.

I turned onto my stomach and just watched him. When he was asleep I was able to really look at him and take in his beauty. I know that he is sexy, handsome, and ridiculously good-looking. He was also beautiful. Maybe I am biased because I am in love with the man, but it was true, he was beautiful.

That wasn't a word that I would use to describe a man, but it fitted when it came to him. His nose, lips, cheeks, and jaw, were all in perfect proportion to his face. He also had full, black lashes that I seriously envied.

As I laid there admiring him I heard a phone vibrating on the bedside table. Both my phone and his were on the table beside him. I didn't want them to wake him up so I carefully moved over his body and reached for the vibrating phone. It was mine that was making all the noise; I picked it up and saw my father's name on the screen.

I knew it was wrong of me to decline his call. I knew I should talk to him…But I was scared. He has been like a second father to Jose. He is one of the few people that Jose has left in the world. I don't want their relationship to be ruined because Jose and I aren't happy. I also don't want my father to find out about Christian. I was there for my dad when my mother had an affair with a richer, older, man. I knew how depressed, angry, and devastated he had been at that time. I swore to myself that I would never be like my mother; I would never break someone's heart like my mother did to my father.

Yet, I had done exactly what she had done.

I decline the call. As I go to place it on the table again, it vibrates in my hand. I see that I have a voicemail from him. I put it to my ear and listen to it " _Hey, Annie. I am worried about you, sweetheart. You haven't answered my texts or my calls. I am sure you're busy with the store and what not but, please call me back when you get this. I just want to know that you're okay"_

I feel guilty so I text my father and let him know that I am going to be out of town for the week with friends. Before I have a chance to send the message, I feel hands grab hold of me. "Ahhh!" I let out a sequel as Christian rolls on top of me. He has my arms pinned above my head and my phone has been thrown across the bed.

"Morning"

He grins down at me with his happy, childish, grin. He is obviously in a good mood this morning.

"Sleeping beauty awakens" I smile up at him "I was wondering when you'd wake up. I was getting lonely without you"

He bends down and nuzzles his nose along my neck. I can feel his very firm member rubbing against my thigh. "I am awake now" He growls in a low voice. One of his hands let's go of my wrists and slowly begins to caress his hand down my body. His fingers brushed over my nipples which tightened under his touch. His hand continued moving down until it was between my thighs. His fingers slowly begin to move in circles. I let out a quiet, breathy, moan.

"How are you feeling this morning? You're not too sore are you?"

I shake my head "No, I feel great"

"Good" He smiles. He kisses my neck and he begins to move down my body. He removes his hand from my wrist to cup my breast in his hand. His lips continue to move down until his lips wrap around my tight nipples. I close my eyes and relax into the feeling. I arch my back to bring his lips closer to my body.

This was exactly what I wanted to wake up to on a Sunday morning.

Of course the sweet moment had to be interrupted by my phone vibrating on the table. I went to sit up to answer it, but Christian held me down. "Ignore it" He told me as he began to kiss down my stomach. I glanced over to our phones and saw that it wasn't my phone that was ringing.

"Taylor is calling you"

That got his attention.

"Taylor? Why would he be calling me at this time in the morning?" He thought out loud. He sat up in the bed and reached for his phone. He tapped on the answer button and brought the phone to his ear. "Hello…What do you mean there is a situation….No, how the fuck was this leaked?"

I have no idea what is going on right now, but one thing I can tell for certain is that Christian is furious. Whatever is going on, he does not like it.

He climbs out of bed and walks towards the fireplace opposite the bed. Above it was a flat-screen TV that we hadn't touched. "Taylor, I saw no paparazzi. How the fuck did we miss them. It is your job to handle situations like this. Fuck"

He hangs up the phone and grabs the remote for the TV He turns it on and begins to flip through the channels. I sit up in bed and hug the thin sheets to my chest. "Is everything okay?"

"No" He snaps.

He lands on the channel he wants and I see it is the Today Show on NBC. They have just finished a piece on sex education in the United States and are moving on to the Entertainment section of the program. The anchor that I didn't recognize began _"_ _Now, new pictures have just emerged of the highly eligible and very aloof business tycoon, Christian Grey"_

A picture shows up on the screen of Christian at some black tie event looking grumpy and tired. " _He is renowned for his reserved life that few ever get a glimpse into. That was until today. Check these photos out"_

On the screen photo after photo pop up of Christian and I. The photos were of bad quality and taken from a good distance away at the beach. They showed Christian lying on the sand. I am on my belly with my face hidden beneath my hair. Christian is rubbing lotion into my back and down to my butt. Another photo shows him kissing me. The next I am on my back and he has a hand cupping my face and smiling down at me. Thankfully, my face was hidden.

A voice-over begins. " _That is Christian Grey, the man who avoids anything media related and chooses to live his life in the shadows. He was named Forbes richest man under thirty last year. For five years running he has held the spot of fourth richest man in the world with an estimated net-worth of fifty billion dollars. He has never been photographed with another woman, nor has he publically admitted to any kind of relationship with one. Yet, here he is on the sandy Hampton beach with a mystery brunette looking rather cosy"_

The next photos that show up on the screen are of Christian and I in the surf. He has his arms around me as a wave crashes into him. The next is of us in the water cuddling up to each other. The next is of us making out in the water. I was grateful that my face wasn't seen in the photo. To the world I am just a brunette in a red bikini.

" _No word yet on who the mystery woman is, but whoever she is, Mr. Grey cannot keep his hands off her. In every picture he is holding her or kissing her. It is a stark difference to the Grey that we're use to. We are waiting on information on who the mystery woman is, and a statement from the Grey camp-"_

"Fuck" Christian turned off the TV "This is fucking ridiculous. I didn't see any fucking paparazzi when we were there. Why do they give a fuck about my life anyway? I am not a fucking actor. I am not a fucking reality princess. I am a business man. I don't have time for this bullshit!"

"They're interested in your life. I don't blame them for being interested in you" I move out of the bed and wrap the sheet around me as I walked to Christian. I reached up and gently stroked his jaw to calm him down. "It's fine. We'll lay low for a little while until this dies down"

I can see the wheels in his mind ticking over. "No" He tells me as he steps away from me. He bends down and pulls up his blue underwear. "We're not going to hide and lay low. I am having the week off with you and I don't want us to be afraid of paparazzi catching a photo of us"

"I don't want the world to know who I am. I don't want people finding out I am married. We should keep things quiet while I deal with my marriage. Once Jose and I are divorced, then we can announce to the world that we're together"

He reaches for his phone again. He starts to shake his head as he begins to dial a number "No, I have a better plan. We're getting out of here for the week"

"What?"

"We're getting out of here" He repeats "Anywhere in the world, baby, where do you want to go?"

"I…" I don't know. He has put me on the spot. He raises an eyebrow at me and I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind "London!"

"Done" He says as he puts his phone to his ear "We'll go to London for a week. We just need to get out of America for a little while. This time next week, everyone will have forgotten about those fucking pictures"

"Are you serious? You want to drop everything and go to London?"

"Yes" He then smiles "And if by the end of the week you tell me you want to go to Paris, then we'll go to Paris. I want to travel the world with you, Anastasia"

He then puts his phone against his ear. He steps out of the room to organize the GEH jet to be prepared and ready within the next four hours.

* * *

As the hours passed, I was growing more and more excited to fly to London. I had never left America before and London was somewhere I had always dreamed of travelling to. I packed both Christian and I's bags while he arranged with his assistant Andrea our flights and the hotel we would be staying at.

As I packed Christian's suitcase my phone began buzzing with messages from both Kate and my mother. They had both seen the pictures and they both had different reactions to it. Kate's was simple and exactly how I thought Kate would react to such a thing.

 _OMG, Steele. Just saw the pics and damm you and money-bags are hot. I can see that you're having a great time away. I can't wait to hear every steamy, sordid, sexy, detail about it when you get home. XXX._

I texted her back to let her know that I was going away with Christian for the week to London to get away from the media. After I texted her, I opened the one from my mother. She didn't surprise me with what she wrote.

 _Anastasia, I just saw the pictures online. You should be much more careful and discreet when out with Christian. You don't want the whole world to know that you're married. You'll be publically humiliated if people find out. Plus, just think of how heartbroken Jose will be if he sees these pictures. Also, you shouldn't be out in such short and tiny bikini. It didn't offer any sun protection, and you looked like you were about to fall out of it when you were in the surf._

 _Love you always,_

 _Mum._

I was glad to see she cared so much.

I was worried about what Jose would think if he saw the photos. I knew that it was very unlikely that he would see them. He didn't watch TV unless he was watching a game. He also didn't read online articles. The likelihood of him seeing these pictures was very low. He didn't even know who _Kim Kardashian_ or _Justin Bieber_ was. He didn't keep up with Pop-culture.

I finished packing the last of our things and carried the suitcases one at a time down the stairs and placed them by the door. As I was carrying Christian's heavy suitcase down the stairs, he stepped into the room and quickly rushed up the stairs to take it from me.

"Hey, you should've let me carry them. I don't want you to hurt yourself"

I smile and shake my head "Why do you worry so much?" I ask him "I can carry a suitcase. I am not going to hurt myself" I place a hand on my arm. I slowly move it up to feel his firm biceps "I am a big girl, remember?"

He smirks "I know, but I like taking care of you. I want to make sure that you're safe. I want to keep you safe. Is that so bad of me?"

"No, I guess not"

He presses his lips to the top of my head in a tender kiss. "Taylor has just arrived with the SUV" He tells me "I am going to load our bags into the back of the car"

"I'll lock up"

I walked around the house one more time to make sure that I hadn't forgotten anything important. I locked the sliding glass door that led to the wooden deck. I then made sure to close all the windows. I was definitely going to miss this house. It is so beautiful and peaceful here…Well it was before the media found out we were here. I hope one day Christian and I can come back to this home.

I walk upstairs and check the ensuite bathroom for anything else that we may have missed. As I am searching the bathroom, I feel my phone beginning to vibrate in the pack pocket of my denim shorts. I see that it is my father calling again. I didn't message him back earlier since I got distracted by Christian. I don't really want to talk to him so I go to hang up my phone.

I stop myself before I hit the decline button. Something inside me was telling me to answer the phone. I had been ignoring him all weekend, I knew I had to talk to him and let him know that I am okay. I would hate for him to find out about Christian and I through the photos that were all over the internet.

I give in and answer the phone "Hey, Daddy"

"Annie!" He sounds panicked "Annie, is that you?"

"Yes…What's wrong, you sound worried? Is everything okay?" I can hear sirens in the background of the phone "Why can I hear sirens? Dad, what is going on?"

"You…You need to get to the University of Washington Medical Center. Now" He tells me "It is Jose…He isn't…God, I don't know if he is going to make it, Annie"

* * *

 **Oh no, what has happened to Jose?**

 **Ana knows about Christian's BDSM past and is okay with it.**

 **And she told him that she loved him.**

 **Review and let me know what you think! :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

* * *

Chapter 15

Christian stared down at the phone in his hand. He was looking at the hotel room that Andrea had booked for him and Ana. He was looking forward to taking Ana to London. He had been to London three times. Once as a teenager with his family and he hated every minute of it. He then travelled to London twice on business and he wasn't able to enjoy that trip either. This time would be different.

He already had plans to take her to see Buckingham Palace, and then to Big Ben. He was going to become a cliché tourist and actually enjoy his time with Ana. Thankfully outside of America, paps didn't give a shit who he was. He and Ana would be safe to explore the city without fear of someone taking their photo or figuring out who Ana was.

He opened the trunk of the car and threw the two suitcases in the back. Taylor was on the phone to Luke Swayer to get him to fly out to London to join Christian and Ana. He wanted to make sure she was okay so he was going to assign Luke Sawyer as her personal CPO. Whether she liked it or not.

"Boss!" He looked over to Taylor walking around the car. "A reporter just tried to ambush your sister while she was out shopping. They were hounding her for information. Thankfully she didn't say a word"

Christian shook his head in anger "Fuck. They're going to keep looking for information. It is only a matter of time before they figure out who she is. The press are going to have a field day when they find out she is married. I can already see the headlines"

"I thought you didn't give a shit about the headlines"

"I don't" He slams shut the trunk of the SUV. "I don't care what they write about me, I do care what they write about her. I don't want them to write about her as some kind of gold-digging, slut, who left her husband to hook up with some rich guy. That's what they're going to write"

He takes a calming breath before he gets worked up about it. "The best thing that she and I can do is get out of America for a little while. By the end of the week, this will be forgotten about it. Even if they do find out who she is, she won't be in America to hear about it"

He turns back to the house to wait for Ana to hurry up and come downstairs. He is anxious to get out of The Hamptons before the press figure out where they are staying. He glances down to his watch and sees that it is almost midday. It is a long flight to London, and they still have a helicopter flight to JFK. He wants to get out of here by twelve-thirty.

While he is waiting, he pulls his phone out of his back pocket. He goes into his emails and checks to see if there was any word from _Seattle Independent Publishing_. He was in the middle of buying the company when they declined Ana's job offer. He had no idea that she was even applying for a job with them. If he had known, he would've made it known that she was to be accepted. No questions asked.

Yesterday while at the market he made a call to the owner and offered him double what the company was worth. Of course the man was going to accept it; he wanted to get rid of the dying company. He knew that Ana had the talent and skill to turn the company around; he just hoped that she had the confidence.

Finally after ten minutes, a pale faced Ana emerged at the front door. She was clutching her phone against her chest. He could see on her face the look of fear and worry. Something was wrong. What the fuck happened?

 _Did the press figure out who Ana was? Was that why she as so worried?_

Her eyes glanced up at his from the doorstep. "Christian…I…"

He stepped closer to her. Her arms and hands were shaking as Christian approached. He places his hands on the side of her face and tipped it up to look him in the eyes. "Ana, what is going on? What's wrong?"

"I can't go to London. I have to go home…" Her voice shakes as she speaks. She struggles to keep control of her emotions "Jose…He is in hospital. I don't know what has happened to him but my father…" She hiccups as she speaks. "…My father came to Seattle to see me and he found Jose passed out on the bathroom floor. They found him with a bottle of whiskey and his pills. They think he overdosed, Christian"

She breaks down in tears and Christian quickly wraps his arms around her to try and soothe her. He wraps a hand into the back of her hair to pull her in closer. She sobbed into his dark shirt. "Why would he do this, Christian? Why would he try and harm himself like this? If he dies…it is going to be all my fault-"

"Hey, don't think like that, Ana" Christian pulls back to look Ana in the tear filled eyes "He made this choice on his own. You cannot hold yourself responsible for his choices"

"But…But he found out about us. I hurt him. God, I hurt him so bad!"

He continues to hold her to try and calm her down. He looks up to see Taylor approaching. He gives Christian a confused look. "Taylor, I need you to call Stephan. We're not going to London. We're heading back to Seattle"

Taylor nods his head and steps away to call the pilot of the Jet. Christian continued to hold a crying Ana. Secretly, he was pissed that Jose would do something like this. He hated that another man still had such power over Ana. He wanted her all to himself; he didn't want to share his time with her with anyone else.

Would his apparent suicide attempt be the thing that brings he and Ana back together. She was going to rush to be by his side again. She was going to worry about him and take care of him. They were together for six years; it would only be natural for them to become close again. What if she chose to be with him again and leave Christian behind?

He didn't want to return to Seattle.

* * *

The flight home from The Hamptons had been one that Christian and I rode in silence. I wasn't in the mood for making small-talk. I felt sick to my stomach with worry and fear. I don't know if my husband is dead. I know we don't have a conventional relationship. I know that I had moved on with another man. It doesn't mean I hate Jose. It doesn't mean I think he is horrible. It doesn't mean that I don't have any love for him or care any less for him. Even if I have moved on and found love with someone else, I still want Jose to be okay…I still want to take care of him.

When we landed at SeaTac, Taylor drove us straight to the hospital. Together we sat in the backseat. My gaze was fixed on the passing city. I didn't react to Christian when his hand reached out to rest on my bare leg. He was trying to comfort me in any way that he could. Right now there was nothing he could do to really comfort me. The only thing that would make me feel better is seeing Jose alive and well.

Taylor stopped the SUV outside the University of Washington Medical Center. I quickly unclip my seatbelt and turned to Christian "I need to go" I told him "I am sorry that I had to cut the weekend short, but I need to be with him. I am sorry, Christian"

He nods his head "I understand"

I lean across the car and press my lips to his stubbly cheek. "Goodbye"

I returned to my seat and opened the car door, before I could step out, I felt his hand quickly wrap around my wrist "Wait-" He said quickly "Are we okay, Ana? Does this change anything between us?"

"No, I already told you that I love you. I am with you. Spiritually and mentally, I am yours" I tell him "Right now I need to be there for him. Once he is better than we can go to London, just like we planned"

"I hate that we have to plan our lives around him and his stupid decisions…"

"Christian!"

"I am sorry, but it's true"

"He isn't some fling, he is a man that I spent six years with. He was once my best friend. I love him-"

He winced at the word love.

I had never had a problem with his possessiveness and his jealously until right now. I knew it was something that was always lurking beneath the surface. He had told me he didn't want to _share_ me, and that he didn't like the idea of any other man _having_ me. I had seen it in his eyes the night we went to the nightclub when another man had been trying to hit on me. It had happened on Friday night at his birthday dinner when Elena had ambushed me. In those moments I had been turned on and attracted to angry, possessive, Christian.

Right now I was not turned on by jealous Christian.

"I'll talk to you later" I told him as I stepped out of the car.

I walked inside the hospital. I pulled the cardigan tight around me as I walked to the front desk. I talked to the Nurse who led me to where Jose was in recovery. The word _recovery_ gave me hope that he was going to be okay. I jogged through the halls, passing other patents, nurses, and doctors. I had one thing on my mind and that was getting to Jose and finding out what the hell happened. I needed to know if he had really tried to kill himself.

Why would he do that? Did he really feel that alone?

I found the recovery wing and stopped at the front desk for directions to his room. The older nurse informed me he was in room 18 and that he was currently resting. Okay, so that meant he wasn't dead, he was still alive.

I walked down the dark hallway. It was eerily quiet. I could see my father with a cardboard cup of coffee in his hands. One hand was outstretched and leaning against the window as he looked into the room. I rushed over to be by his side.

"Dad!"

He turned when I called his name. A look of relief fell over his face as he took me in. "Oh, Annie, where the hell have you been? I have been so worried about you"

"I know…" I don't want to get into explaining Christian to him. Not right now at least. I instead turn to the hospital room where Jose was knocked out in the bed. His dark hair was down and spread over the white pillow. He was in a blue hospital gown. He had IV fluids attached to his wrist, and a tube connected through his nose. The monitor beside him was showing a steady heartbeat. He looked awful.

He also looked alive…

"What happened, Dad?"

Ray lets out a long, tired, sigh. He steps away from the window. He walks back until he is sitting on the wooden bench in the middle of the hall beside the tall plant. I take one last glance at the sleeping Jose, and then went to sit beside Ray.

"It was horrible, Annie" Ray began. My father's hazel eyes glanced up into mine. "I wanted to see you and make sure you were okay. I arrived at your house and I saw Jose's truck was outside. I knocked on the door and he wasn't answering. I called his mobile, and he didn't pick up. I just…I had this gut feeling that something was wrong. I peeked into your bedroom window and I saw him just passed out on the bathroom floor"

"I grabbed the closest rock and smashed through the window. I climbed through. I got this cut on my hand-"

He held up his bandaged hand.

"-I saw that he had a bottle of Whiskey smashed on the ground beside him. There was a bottle of pills on the basin. I called the ambulance straight away and they were there within twenty minutes. I thought he was dying there in front of me, Annie, and there was nothing I could do but wait for the ambulance"

"He mixed sleeping pills with whiskey. Not a great mix. The doctors had to pump his stomach. They said that if I hadn't found him when I did…He would've died. He is recovering now. Once he wakes up we'll know if the sleeping pills caused any damage to his brain. I just can't believe that he'd do something like this. Had he been showing any suicidal signs? I know that he's been depressed…Maybe I should've been there for him more. I am the only father figure that he has"

I wrap an arm around him "Daddy, you can't blame yourself for this. I should've realised how depressed he was. He hasn't been happy ever since his father died. It's like he is a whole other man. Just last Saturday he and I had this big fight and he ended up walking out. I was staying with Kate and I haven't talked to him…"

I can't stop the sob that escapes me "If it is anyone's fault, it is mine. I've known he has been depressed, and I know that he has been having trouble accepting Jose Senior's death. I should've got him help sooner"

"Annie" My dad now consoles me.

I feel stupid for crying more. I feel like I've been crying all morning. I shouldn't be crying when I know that he is now okay. He is breathing, he has a steady heartbeat, he is attached to fluids; he will be okay.

"Neither of us are to blame for his actions. He is going to pull through this. I know he will"

My father sat with me, holding me and consoling me for a while. Eventually a doctor came to speak with me. He explained the procedure they had to perform and what they found. He definitely overdosed on a mixture of pills and alcohol. He only took a few sleeping pills. It wasn't a deadly amount, but the Whiskey mixed with it was what made it deadly. They're not sure if it were a suicide attempt or if it was just idiocy.

I hoped that it was idiocy.

* * *

My father and I sat outside his room for what felt like hours. In reality, it was only two hours. I was an anxious and scared mess. I had so many emotions running through me. I was obviously worried about him and his health. I was scared for his future and if he was going to do this again. I also felt guilty.

I just spent the weekend having sex with another man. Just last night I was telling another man that I loved him. I hadn't felt guilty about my relationship with Christian until now. I was in bed with him while my husband was at home trying to end his life.

Yeah, I felt guilty.

I messaged Kate while I was waiting to let her know that I wasn't going to London since I was in hospital. She messaged me back right away to let me know that she was coming straight to the hospital after she was done work to make sure I was okay. I let her know my father was here and there wasn't much she could do by being here. Jose would be waking up soon and I didn't want to overwhelm him.

My dad was just as impatient as I was. He couldn't sit still either. While we sat together on the bench, he quickly sat up.

"I need another coffee" He tells me "Do you want anything?"

"No, thank you" I say quietly

I watch as he walks down the hall. There was a coffee machine in the other corridor that my father had been making trips to every hour. I stand up from the bench as well and walk to the window to check in on Jose. I stood in the doorway of his hospital room and watched him sleep. There was a small frown between his bushy eyebrows.

He didn't look peaceful.

He let out a choking cough as he slowly woke up. His hand went to the tube that was attached to his nose. His eyes opened and darted around the strange room. He probably doesn't know where he is. The last thing he would've remembered is passing out on the bathroom floor.

He was freaking out.

"Hi" I said in a soft voice as I walked in the room. He was even more confused when he saw my face.

The doctors had said there was a chance the pills had damage to his brain. Overdosing on sleeping pills sometimes did cause memory loss. The doctors said it was unlikely given that he didn't take enough, but there was still a chance.

"You…You're in hospital, Jose" I spoke softly as I came to stand beside the bed. Slowly he began to relax against the thin pillows. "Do you remember passing out? Do you remember- " I choked on my words "-taking the sleeping pills or drinking the Whiskey?"

He nods his head. He swallowed hard before speaking "How did I…." His voice was rough and hoarse "….get here?"

 _Was he being serious right now?_

"How do you think you got here!?" I rose my voice but then quickly stopped myself before I started yelling at him. I had been confused and scared before, now I was mad that he'd do something like this to himself. "God, Jose, my father found you passed out on the bathroom floor. Do you have any idea how worried he has been about you? Do you have any idea how scared he was?"

"Ana…"

Tears began to pool in my eyes…again. I was so over crying today.

"Do you have any idea how scared _I_ was?" I quickly wiped my tears off my cheeks "I…I thought you were going to die"

His hand reached up and weakly held mine. He was trying to comfort me in whatever small way he could. Nothing was going to comfort me. "I wasn't trying to die"

I start laughing at how absurd that sounded. "You weren't trying to die? Then what the fuck were you trying to do? I thought it was general knowledge that you don't mix drugs and alcohol"

"I mean it, Ana. I wasn't trying to kill myself…I…" He lets out a sigh and points to the sink in the corner of the room. "Can you please get me a drink? My throat is so dry…"

I walked across the room and filled a glass with tap water. I returned to his bedside and sat down on the bed. I fluffed his pillows to help him sit up and then brought the glass to his lips. Once he had taken a drink, I placed the glass on the tray.

He began to speak again "I was trying to numb myself, Ana. Everything was becoming too much. Do you have any idea how hard it is to live everyday with your father's voice haunting you? I can never escape him. I try…I try so hard to be my own person and let go of my father…But I can't. He haunts me"

This was the first time that Jose was opening up to me. I didn't move or make a sound, because I didn't want him to shut himself off from me again. For once, he was being honest with me.

"The only way I can shut that voice up is by getting up every day and living my life the way he wanted. It's the only way that I can him proud of me"

"Jose, he was proud of you"

His sad, deflated, hopeless, brown eyes looked into mine "No, he wasn't. He was always a different man around you because he loved you, Ana. You were perfect in his eyes. You were an illusion to him. You were something that I hid behind. You still are"

I had no idea what he was talking about.

"He wanted me to be the perfect son. He wanted me to play football. He wanted me to study law or medicine. He wanted me to join the army. He wanted me to get married and have a perfect wife, and a perfect family. He wanted me to be a man. Do you know that he once told me that it'd be easier if I had been born a daughter? That way he wouldn't have to put up with a pussy-son"

Jose laughs "No, his words were actually; I wish you were born a daughter, that way I wouldn't have to put up with a fag for a son"

That wasn't the man I had known at all.

"His words are running on repeat in my mind. I feel dead inside when I am at that store or in his home. I hate myself. I hate my life. I didn't take the pills to kill myself. I just wanted to shut my father's voice up. I wasn't trying to kill myself…But if it had killed me, I wouldn't mind…"

My heart was breaking for him. I knew things had been tough, but I thought he was having a hard time accepting his father's death. It wasn't that. He was trying to move on from his father's death and escape him.

I reached out and brushed my hand through his curly hair and pushed it off his face. I bend down and press my lips to his sweaty forehead. "I am sorry" I whisper to him "I am sorry that you've been so sad…I wish I had realized how hard things have been"

"Mr. Rodriguez?" The wide nurse appeared in the doorway. She gave us both a smile "You're awake. Your wife and your father-in-law have been here all day waiting for you to wake up"

I pressed my lips to his forehead one more time "I love you and I am here for you, okay?" He nods his head "I'll be waiting outside"

I stepped out of the room while the nurse began to run her tests on Jose.

* * *

After my father had collected his fourth or fifth cup of coffee he stepped into the room to spend some time with Jose. I could hear him grilling him on why he would do something so stupid. Jose wasn't nearly as honest with me as he was to my father. He didn't say much, but he did apologize to my father for the scare that he gave him.

I know that Jose needs to go into therapy, and I know he isn't going to like that idea. I don't know where to start when it comes to finding a therapist. I'd rather he go into a rehab program so that way I know he is taken care of and is not alone. If he doesn't want to go into a program, then I will stay with him while he sees a therapist.

I am scared to leave him alone.

The doctor soon arrived half-an-hour after Jose woke up. He went into the room to speak with him about the procedure that he had performed. My father stepped out of the room as the doctor stepped inside. He ran his bandaged hand through his short brown hair. I could see that he was just as worn-out and tired as I was right now. It had been a long day.

"You can head home if you like" I tell him "I am going to stay the night and keep him company"

"I can stay"

I smile "Daddy, you look like a walking zombie. Seriously, you look exhausted"

"I am…When I came to see you; I was not expecting my day to go like this" He comes to stand beside me near the window "So, where were you really this weekend? You've been ignoring my calls. You've been distant. You've been acting strange as well"

"Jose and I separated last Saturday. We had a big fight and he walked out. I don't know where he has been for the past week but I have been with Kate. Jose and I didn't talk for a week. We probably would've continued to ignore each other if today hadn't happened"

I peek up into my father's hazel eyes to see if he were angry or sad. He didn't react at all.

"I love that kid" He says "But, it has been tearing me apart knowing how much you're giving up for him. You have so much potential, Annie. I knew you were always going to do something amazing with your life. I am not sure what, but, you will do something amazing. You were never going to do that with him holding you back, and that broke my heart"

"You're not upset?"

"No" He shakes his head "Some people are just not meant to be together. Just look at your mother and I. We tried and tried to make it work. We stayed in a loveless marriage because we were afraid of raising you in a broken home. That's not what a relationship or a marriage should be"

His thin lips rose up in a half smile. He quickly reached out and wrapped his arm around my neck to pull me into a tight hug. His lips came down to kiss the top of my hair. "I am not upset. As long as you go off and take care of yourself…I'll be fine"

"What about Jose?"

"What about him?"

"I don't want him to lose you. He doesn't have friends. He has no family. We are the only people he has left and I don't want him to be alone. That's part of the reason why I stayed with him for so long. I knew he had no one…"

"I made a promise to Jose Senior that I would look out for his son"

I look back into the hospital room. Jose has a bored look in his eyes as the doctor talked to him. He was probably being questioned on why he took the pills. I don't know how I was meant to get him into therapy when he shuts himself off from everyone. Would therapy even help him? Would he take it seriously? Or would he spend his time refusing to talk and not addressing his issues?

"Dad, was Jose Sr. abusive?" I ask him. He is taken back by my strange question "I only ask because you were his best friend, you'd know him better than anyone. I remember the man as this lively, charismatic, man. Yes, he would be tough on Jose…But most Fathers are on their sons. The man that I knew and the man that Jose knew sound like two completely different people"

"Well, he was never thrilled that Jose chose to go to college and study photography. He thought it was a complete waste of money. He refused to help him pay for his schooling unless he studied something more useful. He was definitely tough on him, but that was how men my age were raised. Our fathers never cuddled us and kissed us better when we hurt ourselves. It was just how that generation was"

"You weren't like that with me"

Ray laughs "It's different with a daughter, plus, you were a little angel. I had a harder time with your mother than I did with you. Why are you asking me if he were abusive? Has Jose said something to you?"

I nod my head "He told me that his father's voice haunts him every day and that's why he took the pills. He wanted to shut it up"

Ray went to say something but was stopped by his ringing phone. He pulled it out of his pocket and I peaked at the screen. I saw _Miranda_ on the front of it. That was his girlfriend of the month.

"I should answer this" He tells me "I need to let her know I won't be home tonight. I hope you don't mind if I stay at your place. I don't have it in me to drive home to Montesano tonight"

"Yeah, that's fine. I'll probably sleep here with Jose; I want to keep an eye on him"

Dad places a hand on my arm "He'll be okay, Annie"

He gave me a supportive smile before walking away to answer his phone. He placed it to his ear and in a happy voice, he greeted Miranda. I hope that she is the one that my father can have a serious relationship with. I know very little about her. I know that she has two teenage children and she recently divorced her husband. She has a farm and makes a living by teaching riding lessons. She met my father at a group dance class.

He sounded happy when talking to her. I wanted him to find happiness.

As he walked away, I felt my phone start vibrating. I pulled it out to see a message from Christian.

 _Baby, how is everything at the hospital? What is happening with Jose? Is there anything that you need? I want to make sure you're okay. The Fairmont isn't far from the hospital. You can stay with me tonight if you want to be close to Jose X_

With a smile, I quickly began to type my response back to him.

 _Jose is awake and is currently talking with the doctor. I told my dad that he and I separated. He is okay with it. I am okay, I am just tired. You exhausted me last night. I am going to stay with Jose while he is in hospital. I am scared to leave him alone right now. I miss you X._

I waited and waited for his response, but nothing came.

I didn't have the patience, or the energy to worry about it. He was probably feeling jealous that I was choosing to stay with Jose instead of him. He had nothing to worry about, though. I wasn't madly, head-over-heels, in love with Jose. I wasn't going to get back together with him. We weren't going to have a heated, passionate, moment in his hospital bed while he was still half drugged up.

I am with Christian and I am committed to him.

I felt my phone vibrate in my hands. I had hoped that it was Christian messaging me back, but when I looked down to my screen, I saw that it was an email from _Michaelson's Publishing_. I quickly opened it to read it.

* * *

D _ear Mrs Anastasia Rodriguez,_

 _We appreciate your interest in applying for an Internship through Michaelson's publishing. We have read your resume and are impressed by your talent and qualifications. We are currently interviewing potential candidates who have applied for the three-month internship. The internship would commence on the 20/7/13 and end on the 20/9/13. We wish to arrange a Skype interview with you on Thursday the 24/6/13. Please contact us and let us know if that will be of inconvenience to you._

 _Thankyou,_

 _Lucy Smith,  
Chief of Staff, Michaelson's Publishing._

* * *

Oh my god.

I stare at the phone and read it over again and again in disbelief. I can't believe that I am going to get an interview with the company. I might actually have a chance at getting a job in major publications house. This company has signed some of the biggest YA fictions books of the past year. Their book _The Starving Arena_ has remained at the top of the charts for the past thirty weeks.

Having something like _Michaelson's Publishing_ on my resume would be amazing. The work experience that would come from working at a major house would be unlike any other. Plus, I would move to London and live there for six months. This could be perfect for me…

But I would have to leave so many people behind. Given how possessive and jealous Christian is, how would he react if I moved to another country? I know that he wouldn't like it and he wouldn't want me to go. I don't want to be apart from him either, but I also don't want to give up my chance at a career.

What about Jose? I don't think I could leave him right now. He needs help, love, and support. I can't give that to him if I am on the other side of the world. If I get this job, I would leave in less than a month. Jose will not be better by then.

Can I leave him?

Can I leave Christian?

The job would be amazing and perfect for me…But it was horrible timing. If I get offered an internship, I don't think I can accept it.

"Mrs. Rodriguez?"

I jump when I hear the older doctor say my name. I blink back to reality and quickly slip my phone back into my pocket. "Yes, how is he?"

"He…"The doctor sighs "I think we both know that your husband is clinically depressed. I tried to ask him why he felt the need to try and kill himself. He swore to me that it wasn't a suicide attempt. I am not sure if I believe that, though. He needs help"

The doctor hands me multiple pamphlets for different rehab facilities or doctors in the Seattle area. I was looking more at Rehab. At least if he was in a facility I wouldn't have to worry so much about him. I would be able to sleep easily at night knowing that he wasn't by himself and he was surrounded by doctors.

I talked to the doctor about our options for a few minutes. I decided that rehab would be the best option…But it would take some convincing before Jose agreed to it.

As the doctor walked away, a figure standing at the end of the hall caught my attention. I recognized him immediately and he recognized me. It was too late for him to turn around, though. Slowly he advanced closer to me. I hadn't seen him since college, and he hadn't changed a bit.

He still wore sweaters, he still styled his hair the same way, and he still wore thick black-rimmed glasses.

He still looked like the irresistible Allister Kamp.

"Hi…" He said shyly as he approached. He looked and sounded nervous when he was standing in front of me. As well as nervous…He looked worried. He looked _really_ worried.

"Umm…Kate told me what happened. She said that he overdosed and…God, I was with him this morning. I had no idea he'd go home and do this to himself"

He was with him this morning?

Had Jose been staying with him this past week?

Of course he had, they had been best friends in college. They had been _very_ close. I never understood their friendship. Allister was always this open, bubbly, charismatic, life-loving, man. The only thing they had in common was photography…But maybe they did have something else in common…

And just like that, so many things now made sense to me.

* * *

 **I was never going to kill Jose! I think this story has enough death in it.**

 **So, Christian is feeling a little jealous.**

 **Jose finally opened up to Ana.**

 **Ana may be getting a job in London.**

 **Allister and Ana have come face-to-face.**

 **And, Ana has figured out that Jose is gay.**

 **What do you think is going to happen next?** **Review and let me know what you think! :)**


	16. Chapter 16

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **I finally finished this chapter. I wrote it three times with Ana reacting in three different ways until I was happy with it. I wrote her as furious, but she came off as immature and weak. I wrote her as really sad, and she came off as immature and weak, again.**

 **So, if you don't like the way my story is progressing, then please don't read. We all have different opinions and I am never going to make everyone happy. The only thing I can do as the author of this story is write it the way I want to write it. I am never going to publish something that I am not happy with. I am sure there are hundreds of stories on this site that are perfect for you, mine obviously isn't.**

 **And to everyone else if you are enjoying an author's story, let them know. Even if the review is two words or a paragraph, it all makes a difference to an author.**

 **Anyway, sorry for the rant, now on with the story...**

* * *

Chapter 16

Today had been a long, confusing, tiring, emotional day. I thought the day was over and that I would finally be able to rest. Apparently, it was only just beginning.

Allister stood before me with a worried look on his face. His nervous hands had found their way into his pockets. He kept shifting on his feet. He was obviously uncomfortable standing before me, and he was also worried. Once I realized why he was here and why he would be so nervous and so worried, it was like a slap in the face.

Allister being an eccentric, loud, slutty, party-animal, befriending the quiet, introverted, Jose now made sense. Jose never seemed interested in sex, and when he was it was always when he was intoxicated. I remember one time at a party we both got drunk. It was one of the first times that I had ever been drunk. We ended up in one of the bedrooms and we were making out. It was the first time things were getting hot and heavy between us. He said things that night that didn't sound right, but I never questioned them.

When I told him I wasn't sure if we should have sex when we're drunk, he said "Please, Ana, I just want to know what it's like. I want to feel normal for once"

We didn't have sex that night, or any other time in college. It's not like I didn't try to seduce him. Whenever we made out, I tried to…stimulate him. He wasn't into it and he'd blame it on being stressed from school work. I had accepted that he wasn't like other guys, he just wasn't as sexual as them.

I now realize how strange that sounds. If you claim to be in love with someone, shouldn't you want to be intimate with them? I know that with Christian, if we could, we would spend a week happily in bed together. I want to be near him. I want to be with him. I want to pleasure him and make him feel just as good as he can make me feel. It's something that we can share with each other and only each other.

Yet, it was never like that with Jose.

He was never my lover, he was only ever my friend and he felt the same way to me.

We should never have been married.

"Is he okay?" Allister speaks up "I just want to know that he is going to make it. I don't think I could forgive myself if I knew he died. I am sorry, Ana, this is my fault. I was with him this morning, he and I had an argument and I said some things that I shouldn't of. He was angry and upset when he left. I shouldn't have let him leave. I had no idea he was this depressed…"

"You were with him? Has he been staying with you?"

Allister nods his head "Yeah, he has"

"So, you've kept in contact since college?"

 _Had they been in a relationship throughout the duration of Jose and I's marriage?_

"I guess…not really. We had a falling out before you got married. We didn't speak to each other for a while. I went to the store one day to see how he was and we got to talking again" Allister sighs and takes a step forward "Can you just tell me if he is okay?"

"He is alive. He is still high off the sleeping pills that he took, but, he is alive"

"Oh, thank god" Allister let out a long breath of relief.

He stepped forward to look into the window of Jose's room. I glanced inside as well and saw that he was asleep. Unlike before, he now looked peaceful as he slept. I had so many questions and thoughts running through mind as I looked at him. I had so many emotions going through me, most of which were confusion.

I wish I could say that I was shocked or even the smallest bit surprised, but that would be a lie. It had been right in front of my eyes for years, I was too hopeful to see it. There was a point in my life that I wanted our relationship to work. I wanted the Hardware Store to succeed. I wanted to have a big life with Jose. I didn't want to think that I was in a failing marriage. I didn't want to think that he was hiding himself and lying to himself. I chose to be blind to it.

I needed answers and the only person who could give them to me right now was Allister. "My husband is gay, isn't he?"

That shocked Allister. He turned to me with wide, open, green eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He tried to think of something to say. He was trying to think of a lie to tell me.

"Don't lie to me. I have had a long day as it is and the last thing I want is for people to lie to me. I think I already know the answer to my question, but I need to hear someone say it. If anyone would know it is you. Is he gay?"

He takes a breath before answering "You already know the answer to your question" He then smiles. It wasn't a happy smile, but a broken, tired, one. "He refuses to admit it, though. He thinks it is healthy to go his whole life without ever addressing the issue. He'd rather live in the dark and be depressed, than embrace it and live the best life he can live"

It didn't make me feel any better knowing the truth.

"Are you in a relationship with him?"

"No" Allister quickly shakes his head.

"Have you ever slept with him?"

"Yes"

"Is this before or after he and I were married? Not that it really matters given that we've been in a relationship since freshmen year…"

"It only ever happened this week when he was staying with me"

I huff and shake my head "I think you can understand why I find that hard to believe"

"It's true. All I know is what Jose has told me. If you want his side of things, you'll have to ask him. All I can tell you is what I know, and I will tell you what I know. I always wanted him to be honest with you. I tried to help him accept himself and who he was, but he couldn't…He was too afraid of his father…"

"In college, he and I never had sex. He hated me in freshmen year. He called me a fag, he called me a poofter, a fairy, he called me every derogatory name he could think of. I never cared what some looser thought about me. His names were nothing I hadn't heard before. It wasn't until the end of freshmen year at a party that he drank a little too much at, he corned me into a bathroom and kissed me. I was shocked by it. I pushed him off me. He apologised and blamed it on the alcohol before running away"

"In Sophomore year I decided to befriend him. I knew that he was gay and he was struggling to come to terms with it-"

I interrupt him "You knew he was gay and yet you didn't say something to me…His girlfriend"

"I didn't think your relationship was that serious, I also wasn't very close to you. If he was out having orgies every other weekend with groups of strange men, then yeah, I would say something. He was with you, though. I thought that if I befriended him and showed him how happier he could be, that he'd want to come out of the closet. I was trying to help him"

"There were times when we'd become close and there'd be a kiss…But it never went further than that because he wouldn't let it. We never had sex. We never did anything more than share three or four kisses over the span of four years. I promise you, he wasn't fucking around on you"

I get what Allister is saying, but I can't agree with him "He was, though, he was lying to me…For years. He never came to me with this problem and tried to tell me. He never wanted my help. He never thought to break up with me since he knew he was leading me on"

Allister shakes his head "He didn't think like that. He thought that he could run away from his feelings. He thought that if he didn't have sex with a man or be with a man, that it didn't make him gay. He didn't think he was leading you on. Whether that is a good thing or not, he was trying to be a good boyfriend to you"

I am becoming more and more confused. I still have a lot of questions that Jose needs to answer. I still have a lot of emotions. There is a part of me that is angry for being lied to…But there is also a part of me that understands why he lied. Those parts were conflicting with each other.

In the past forty-eight hours I have found out that my Boyfriend is a closeted freak who was once into BDSM. Also, that my husband is gay and went six years without telling me.

"You said that you had an argument this morning?"

Allister nods his head "It was the same argument that we've been having for years. He doesn't want me to date someone else, which is stupid considering he is the married one. He doesn't want me to go out with other men. I told him that if he wanted to be in a monogamous relationship with me…Then he needed to stop living a lie. I thought I was getting through to him this past week. I thought that he was starting to accept himself. Anyway, we got in a stupid argument about him not embracing his sexuality. I said some things to him which I shouldn't of, but I was so fucking frustrated"

"It's not just your fault" I admit quietly "I have been having an affair with another man"

"He has told me about Christian Grey" A small smile spreads over his face "He is jealous of the guy, not for the reasons you think, though. He is jealous of his wealth and luxurious life. I think part of him was actually relieved that you found someone else"

I can feel tears burning at my eyes. I quickly blink them away and bite the inside of my cheek. I look up to Allister "Did he ever love me? Or was I just something from him to hide behind?"

"Kate and I always agreed that you were closer as friends than you were as lovers. I am sure he loved you. I don't doubt that. I think that he loved the idea of being with you. He loved the idea of having the perfect family. You'd have successful careers. You'd be a stay-at-home. Mum. You'd live in the suburbs. You'd fulfil everything that Jose Sr. wanted for Jose"

"So, he didn't love me? He loved what I could give him!?"

"Did you really love him?" He asks me and takes me by surprise. "Of course, I wasn't in your relationship so I don't know, but from what I saw, I'd say that you were two lovesick teenagers who wanted to be like their peers. You had the kind of relationship that was only meant to last a few months…But somehow it lasted years"

"You weren't in our relationship. I did love him...At least I tried to. I didn't want my marriage to fail"

"Nor did he"

I was now even more confused. I have no idea whether I am feeling angry, hurt, ashamed, or guilty.

"Whether his father was a good man or not, Jose loved him. He wanted to be the son that his father wanted. He wanted to make him proud. He wanted to be "normal" and have a "normal" life. He never did anything with the intention of hurting you or making you feel like shit. No matter how angry you are with him, don't forget that"

I was angry. He was using me as a way to feel "normal". I understand that in his mind, he refused to call himself gay, so, he didn't think he was doing anything wrong by being with me. At the end of the day, I was a beard to him. He was hiding behind me and scared to face the truth. Maybe I shouldn't be angry? Maybe I should be more accepting of him? Maybe I should forgive the past and move forward?

I can't deny that I am…hurt.

He and I were obviously never meant to be together, I realize that now. In the beginning of our marriage, I gave everything to our relationship. I was willing to do anything. If he told me he wanted to sell all of our belongings and move into a shack in the middle of nowhere – I'd do it.

The same couldn't be said for him. He was never willing to give me what I needed and wanted. Everything came down to him. The world revolved around him and I allowed it to. I never pushed him or argued with him, because I was scared of upsetting him. I was never able to speak my mind, because he didn't listen.

He was a horrible husband.

I constantly made excuses for him to justify his actions. Just like he refused to face the truth about his sexuality, I refused to face the truth about him. He isn't a good guy. He isn't the friend I thought he was.

It hurt.

"He isn't an easy man to love" Allister shakes his head.

"Do you love him?"

"If you had asked me two years ago, I would've said yes. I was willing to wait for him to come to terms with himself. The day he married you, I realized that he wasn't ready and he probably never would be" He told me "I should go, I doubt he'll want to see me when he wakes up"

"No, you stay" I step away from the window. My hands were shaking as I walked away "I want someone to be here when he wakes up. I am too angry to even look at him right now…"

I began to walk away. I only made it a few steps when Allister called out to me again "Ana!" I turned to look at him again "I am sorry that he hid this from you. I wish that he had never married you and let it get this far. I tried to stop him. I really am sorry"

I wasn't ready to accept his apology.

* * *

I sat outside the hospital in the cool night air. I sat with my light cardigan wrapped tightly around me. I was trying to figure out my next move. I was trying to figure out what I needed to do next, because I had no idea. So many things had happened today and I didn't know how to feel about it. I wasn't sure if I was angry or just hurt. I wasn't sure if I wanted someone to hug me or just leave me alone. I had no idea.

I was beyond confused.

There is a small part of me that still feels guilty for wanting to divorce Jose. I feel as if I am abandoning him. I am going to get a job somewhere, either here or in London. I am going to start a new life with Christian. I am going to leave him behind. I hate that I still feel guilty for that.

Taking care of him is the right thing to do. It is the mature thing to do. He is my husband. He was someone I considered a friend. He was someone I considered family. If he is hurting, then I should be there to make him better. I should comfort him and nurture him. I should drive him to therapy. I should participate in therapy with him. I should make sure he takes his anti-depressants every morning after I've cooked him his favourite breakfast. I should give up a job that I _really_ want, in order to stay in America and take care of him.

I don't want to stay in Seattle and be by his side. He doesn't need me. He needs to figure himself out and get his life on track. I can't do that for him. Not me, not Allister, and not my father. The only person who will ever make Jose happy is himself. If I stay, I am only going to enable him to continue living a lie.

I need to go. I want to go. I want this job in London.

I pulled my phone out of the pocket of my shorts and found Christian's number. I contemplated texting Kate. I knew that if I told her what happened, her first response would be to get drunk. Plus, I wanted to see Christian. I knew that he could make me forget about today and make me feel better.

I texted him,

 _Hey, are you busy? Can I stay with you tonight?_

It only took a moment for him to text me back,

 _Of course, baby. I am coming to the hospital right now to pick you up._

It was only another ten minutes before I saw his matte black car pull into one of the hospital parks. The windows were tinted, but I knew it was Christian's car. I stood and walked to the low car. The minute I opened the door and sat inside, I felt his hand tangle in the back of my hair and pull me to his lips.

He kissed me hard, leaving me feeling shocked and breathless. When he pulled back from the kiss, his grey eyes were burning with that intense wild look I knew all too well. I also noticed that he was in a grey suit.

 _What was he doing in a suit?_

"I have been driving myself insane all day. I thought you were going to get back together with him. I thought you were going to forget about me…"

No matter how hurt I was feeling I couldn't stop the small smile that spread over my lips. "Christian, trust me, I cannot forget you. Forgetting you would be impossible I am with you. No one else. Not even Jose"

"It made me so…Angry to think of you taking care of _him._ When you told me you were going to stay the night with him, you have no idea how annoyed I was" He strokes his fingers down my cheek. His brows came together in a V as he looked at me. "Are you okay, Ana?"

I nod my head as my answer. I didn't want to burden him with my problems.

"You look…I don't know…Upset. What happened? Talk to me"

I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from crying. I had been crying all day, and I was over it. I felt stupid for crying over this. I couldn't stop the tears, though. I quickly covered my face as I felt the tears begin to flow. My shoulders shook as I cried into my hands. Christian reached across the small car and wrapped his arms tightly around me to comfort me.

"I am sorry" I said as I cried. "I feel so stupid for crying but I don't know what else to do. I am so _fucking_ confused. I have so many emotions and thoughts whirling through my mind. I feel so overwhelmed"

I cried into his expensive, grey, jacket. Christian asked me "Ana, talk to me. You're worrying me"

"I don't know what is going on!" I cry "I don't know what the _fuck_ I am feeling!"

"I am angry at Jose for keeping me in a marriage that he was never going to give his all to. I feel guilty because I am angry at him. I am hurt because I feel as if everything was just a lie. He never married me because he loved me and wanted to spend his life with me. He wanted to marry me because he wanted to feel _normal_ "

"Also, I feel like I am a _fucking_ fool because in hindsight him being gay is so _fucking_ obvious, but I chose to be blind to it. I wanted to be with him. I wanted our marriage to succeed. I didn't want to be like my mother, so I chose to be blind to what and who he really was…Which is exactly something my mother would do!"

I look up into Christian's concerned grey eyes. "He is gay" I let out a little chuckle because I don't know what else to do but laugh "My husband is gay and he thought that he could go the rest of our lives without telling me. If I hadn't found out today, he would never have told me"

Christian didn't look surprised by the news. "I suspected that"

"You what?"

Christian sighs "You know that I had a background check done on you. Well, I also had one on Jose as well. In the report I saw that Jose had an account set up on a Washing dating website for gay men. The account was opened in 2005. Then there were also pictures on social media and in the school newspaper of him with a man named Allister Kamp. We looked into him and saw that he was an openly gay man. I put two-and-two together…"

"Does everyone know besides me?"

"Ana…I never had any real evidence that he was gay. I always found it strange that he had a smart, kind, loving, beautiful woman as his wife, yet he took advantage of her. It never made sense to me"

He wiped away the tears that had fallen on my cheek and then brushed my hair off my face. He gently ran his thumb down my cheek as he looked down to me. "You are two bright and sweet to be dragged down by him, Ana. I said it to you before; you deserve a much bigger life than the one he was giving you. You can't let him continue to hold you down"

I still couldn't believe that the man I had known six weeks ago, was this man.

I wipe the last of my tears off my cheeks. I reached up and wrapped my shaking hands around his neck to look into his handsome eyes. "Thankyou" I whispered to him.

"For what?"

I shrug my shoulders "For just being you. You're exactly what I need after the day I've had"

I bring his lips to mine and kiss him gently. Like all of our kisses, it didn't take much for our hunger and passion for each other to kick in. Christian's hand brushed against my thigh, and wrapped around the back of it. His lips aggressively parted mine and his tongue brushed against me. I didn't care if we were in the middle of a hospital parking lot. I awkwardly and with great difficulty, threw my leg over his. He lifted me onto his lap.

I began to pull at the button of his suit jacket. His hands were running up the back of my thighs and under my tight, denim, shorts. His lips moved to my neck and I let out a quiet, breathy, moan. Once I had the button of his suit jacket undone, I pulled it down his shoulders and threw it over the back of his chair. He pulled my cardigan down my arms. His lips began to kiss my bare shoulders and arms.

I heard laughter and I looked up to see a group of women walking past the car. They took no notice of what was happening inside the car.

"Christian…" I say breathlessly. I wrap my hands in his hair to raise his head again. "Baby, we can't have sex in the middle of a parking lot"

Christian smiled. "Why not?" His lips returned to my neck. His hands moved under my tank top. I felt his fingers brush against my bare skin, making me shiver.

"Anyone could see us!"

"The windows are tinted. It is dark outside. No one can see us, Anastasia. Besides, it's not like we've never had sex in a car before"

"That was different"

It was hard to say no to him. It was especially hard when he was kissing my neck the way he was, or running his hands along my bare skin. Who was I kidding, I didn't want to tell him no. I wanted to have sex in the middle of a parking lot. I wanted to forget about today and the only person who could make me do that was Christian.

His lips were on mine again. He raised my tank top above my head and chucked it aside. He moved the straps of my mint green bra down my arms. He tugged the bra down to reveal my breasts before cupping them in his hands. His lips moved down to my nipples, causing me to gasp out.

"Oh…"

I opened his shirt to reveal his marvellous abbs. I loved the feel of his rippling abbs beneath my fingers. His hands brushed up the side of my thighs; it tickled and sent goose bumps over my skin.

"Stand-up and turn around" He told me and I listened. I awkward moved off his lap. I had one hand holding onto the steering wheel and the other on the roof of the small car. I was bent over the steering wheel. It was awkward. Christian did the button of my shorts before tugging them and my lacy underwear down my legs.

I felt a hard slap on my behind. I let out a loud gasp "Ow – Christian!"

I heard him laugh behind me. He then began to rub the sensitive spot that he slapped. "I could have fun with this..."

I heard the sound of the zipper on his trousers moving down. A moment later I heard the sound of a foil condom being ripped open. He turned me around and then eased me back onto his lap. I let out a small whimper as he filled me.

There was something so sexy about being on top and in charge of the pleasure he was receiving. I started with slowly rolling my hips. My eyes were locked on Christian's. His hands were on my hips, guiding my speed and movements. I began to quicken my gyrating hips. I watched him as he clenched his eyes shut and let out a low moan.

"Uggh…fuck…Anastasia

There was nothing sexier to me than when Christian moaned. It made me feel sexy. I bent down and began to kiss his neck. I kissed up to his ear and bit down on his earlobe. I heard him groan again, and it made my insides quiver.

"Oh…" I moaned in his ear "…Christian"

He reached under the seat and pulled on a lever that extended his seat back. I place my hands on his chest and pin him against the leather chair. His eyes stayed on mine as I rose and lowered myself on him. I rolled my head back and let out a long moan. I could feel myself rising and building to the sweet release that I knew all so well. It was hard to believe that I had never had an orgasm before Christian.

"Oh my god, Christian…" My nails dug into his chest as I moaned his name. His hands moved down from my hips to my behind. His hips began to lift off the chair to meet my every movement. We moved together in perfect unison as if we had been doing this for years, when really it had been only two weeks.

I could hear in his heavy breath how close he was. His fingers dug into my skin. He let out a deep groan "Ahh, fuck" He said through clenched teeth. "C'mon, baby…I can't last much longer…"

I knew I wasn't there yet. I didn't want to stop him, though. "It's okay. I don't need to. I just want to take care of you, baby" I bent down and kissed his chest. I moved my kisses up to his neck.

It only took one more thrust before his head was thrown back. His arms tightened around me and he held me to him. I watched as the muscles in his neck tightened. His eyes shut briefly. His teeth clenched together. It was beyond sexy to watch him come undone beneath me.

"Fucking hell" He growled. He surprised me by kissing me hard. I wrapped my hands into the back of his hair. "You never cease to amaze me, do you know that?"

I shake my head "You're pretty amazing yourself"

"Should I take you home now or would another round in the car interest you?"

"Hmm…I think I need to go to bed" I press my lips to his again. "I am so exhausted, mentally and physically"

"Home it is, then"

* * *

I was grateful that my suitcases from the weekend where at Christian's suite. I was able to have a very innocent shower with Christian. There may have been some touching but he knew how tired I was so he didn't try anything else. He did wash me. He shampooed my hair and gave me a head massage in the process.

I did the same to him, and watching the six foot man bend down to my height, made me laugh. It was a real belly laugh that surprised me. He never failed to make me smile and laugh with his adorableness. Adorable was not a word I would've ever associated with Christian Grey, but it fit him well.

It wasn't until I was sitting in front of the mirror and brushing through my long hair, that my mood soured again. I caught sight of the tan line on my ring finger. It reminded me of all the years I gave up. I am only twenty-three; I will be twenty-four in September. I still have many more years to enjoy my youth, but I gave up so many of them to a man who was using me.

I understand what Allister said when he told me that Jose never did anything to intentionally hurt me - but, he did.

Christian could tell that something was wrong. He walked over to where I was sitting and wrapped his arms around me. His lips pressed to my temple in a sweet kiss "I am going to lock up and then I have some work to do. You should go to bed"

I turned my head to look into his eyes "What kind of work do you have to do at this hour?"

"I am the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company, my work day never ends. If you weren't here, I'd probably work through the night" He stands up and pulls my hair into his hands. He started to split it into three-parts. "Plus, I am in the middle of buying a local company that is on the rocks"

"Why would you buy a failing company? I doubt anyone would ever want to buy _Rodriguez Hardware_ "

"I like to buy failing companies because they're cheaper. I can split the more profitable parts of the company and then sell them off. That's how I make my money"

"It sounds cruel. I don't think I could ever be in business"

That makes Christian smile "You always doubt yourself, Anastasia. I think you'd be amazed by how much you could accomplish if you pushed yourself. Anyway, not everything I do is cruel. A lot of the money I make from breaking apart companies, I spend on charity. You just don't hear about that on the news"

"Why not?"

He shrugs and takes the hair-tie from my wrist to tie at the end of my braid. "I have money. They don't. I shouldn't be raised and put on a pedestal for doing something that any other decent person would if they were in my position"

Once he has finished my braid, I stand up and inspect his handiwork. I am impressed that he can braid my hair. I wrapped my arms around his neck and jumped up on my tippy toes to kiss him. "I love you, Christian Grey. You're a better man than you give yourself credit for"

He kissed my lips one last time and then slapped my behind "Go to bed. I'll join you soon"

I said goodnight to Christian before climbing into the soft bed. My eyelids felt heavy and I knew that sleep would come easily tonight. My mind and my body were exhausted. Not only had today been long and tiring, but the past two weeks had been.

I was tossing and turning in my sleep. I am not sure what time it was when I heard the bedroom door open. I opened my eyes and saw Christian's tall figure walking into the room. He stood at the end of the bed and began to strip out of his clothes. He pulled back the bed sheets and crawled into the bed beside me. His strong, firm, arms securely wrapped around my waist. He pulled me against his body and held me so tightly that I could barely move.

As I was slowly beginning to fall asleep again, I heard him whisper "I love you, Ana"

A smile spread over my lips. I snuggled further under the blankets and whispered back to Christian "I know"

* * *

 **Next chapter Ana and Jose will come face-to-face.**

 **Also, Christian has said he loves Ana. How will he react when she tells him about the possible job in London?**

 **We still have a lot more drama coming up...**

 **Review and let me know what you think is going to happen! :)**


	17. Chapter 17

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **Your response to the last chapter was absolutely amazing!**

 **I had very little time to edit so please mind any grammar mistakes!**

 **Now, on with the story...**

* * *

Chapter 17

I let out a sigh of relief as Christian rolled off me. We were both sticky with sweat after spending the past forty minutes in bed. I woke up to Christian's intrusive alarm ringing on the table beside the bed. He rolled over and slammed his hand against his phone to turn it off. After turning off the alarm, he rolled on top of me to wake me up.

There was something special about waking up in bed with Christian. It felt normal. It felt right.

Christian was breathless. He ran a hand through his sweaty copper hair. He sat up with the dark sheets pooling around his waist. He glanced over at the clock sitting on the bedside table before letting out a long, tiresome, sigh and saying "I don't know if I want to go to work today. I don't think I can be bothered. Why don't we play hooky?"

I laugh and shake my head. I placed my hand on his back and began to run my hand up and down the sexy muscle. He was so sexy and all mine. He told me he loved me last night. I knew he did because I felt it whenever I was around him. I felt his love without him needing words to express it.

Though, it was nice to hear.

"You are the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company, remember?"

"How could I forget?" He let out a groan of annoyance. He placed his hands on either side of my body and bent down to press his lips against mine. I wrapped my hands into the ends of his sweaty hair. I could definitely go for another round with Christian.

He pulled away from the kiss to look down into my eyes. I stroked my hand along his stubbly cheek. He needed to shave.

"Have lunch with me" He told me.

"Is that a good idea?"

His brows came together "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well…People are trying to figure out who your mystery brunette is. I don't want my identity revealed to the world just yet" I then wrap my arms around his neck and smile up at him. "Give it a few months. Once I am divorced from him, then you can shout it out from the rooftops who I am"

He smiles "I am looking forward to it"

He kissed me one last time. It was a sweet kiss that left me wanting more from him. He pulled away before anything more could happen. He stroked his hand through my hair and brushed it off my forehead. "I am madly in love with you, Anastasia. Sometimes I think I am going insane with how much I love you"

"You are a little insane…"

"Hey, that's not what you're meant to say!" He laughs "You're meant to say it back. You're meant to say that you're madly in love with me as well. That you can't live without me, and that you will never live without me!"

I roll him onto his back as quickly as I could. It was hard for me and Christian rolled over willingly. I straddled his slim hips and laid against his chest. I stroked my fingers through his hair. I loved his copper hair. I loved his grey eyes. I could only imagine how adorable his son would be. I could picture a little boy with his eyes and his hair…

 _I could picture myself having kids with this man…_

"I love you, Christian Grey. I _definitely_ cannot live without you. I don't ever want to live without you. I never thought I would say this; but you are my rock. You're the most constant person in my life and I can't imagine my life without you" I tell him "Is that better?"

He took the first shower. We both knew it wouldn't be wise to shower together. As he was shaving and grooming his hair, I got in the shower. He watched me from the mirror as I washed my body. I felt like I was putting on an erotic show for him.

We left the bedroom together dressed and ready for the day. I had on a brown and floral sundress. Christian was dressed in his dark suit. There were two plates of food set up on the dining table. He had an omelette; I had Greek yoghurt and fruit. I was trying to eat, but I couldn't on a nervous stomach. I knew that I would face Jose today, and I was scared of what would happen.

I wasn't sure what I wanted to ask him or tell him. I knew I needed answers from him, but I wasn't sure which questions I needed answer to. I wanted to be mature about this. I want us to have a quick and easy divorce. That will never happen if we're not civil with each other.

Like Christian said, I can't be dragged down by him. I can't let him make me angry or upset. I have to accept that my marriage had been a charade and that I will never get those six years back. What I can do now is move forward and not let him pull me down with him.

I have to try and keep my cool today.

"So, are we having lunch today?" He asks me from across the table "I can order up food for us and we can eat in my office. When are you going to the hospital to see Jose?"

I look down to my phone to check the time "After breakfast. I am dreading having this conversation with him. He won't go into rehab, I know he won't. He will probably deny that he is gay. I can already see how the conversation is going to go. Maybe lunch with you will be the best thing for me"

He nods his head in agreement. He checks his phone "I have half an hour free at one, and I also have a meeting in twenty-five minutes. I have to go"

He stands from the table and walks to me. He bends down and kisses me goodbye. "Finish eating breakfast. I'll see you at one, Baby"

* * *

The closer I walked to Jose's room, the more my body filled with anxiety and dread. I didn't want to do this because I knew I wasn't ready to talk to him. I also knew that as his wife, it would be expected of me to be here today.

I was purposely walking slow and taking the stairs instead of the lifts. I was trying to gather my thoughts and figure out what I needed to tell him. I would tell him how hurt I was that a marriage I thought was real…Was all a lie. I would also tell him that unless he was serious about getting help and changing his life for the better – I was done with him. I didn't need to be in his life and he didn't need to be in mine.

I was grateful that I never gave in and had children with him.

As I was walking, I heard my phone going off. I had no idea who was messaging me, so I pulled my phone out of my brown leather clutch. When I saw who the message was from, I stopped dead in my tracks. I couldn't believe who had just messaged me.

* * *

 _Dear Mrs Anastasia Rodriguez,_

 _We hope you have been well. Due to sudden changes within our company, we are now able to hire new staff. You have been at the top of our list ever since we received your resume. We currently have a position open for_ _ **Commissioning Editor.**_ _Given your qualifications, natural-talent and skills, we believe you would be the perfect person for the job. Please contact us on the number provided to organize an interview._

 _Thank you,_

 _Elizabeth Morgan, Seattle Independent Publishing._

* * *

I got the job?

Why did I get the job?

They rejected me just a few days ago. They said they were unable to hire any new staff due to financial issues. Not only had they offered me a job, but they offered me the job of _Commissioning Editor._ That wasn't just any job, that was a top-level job. They must be desperate if they're willing to hire me for that position. I don't know how to do that job. I thought I would be hired as an assistant so that way I can learn how to do the job and be good at it.

They are definitely desperate if they want to hire me for that position.

"Annie!"

I look up from my phone to my father standing at the end of the hall. He gives me a small wave. I throw my phone into my leather clutch. I take a calming breath before smiling back to my father. I don't want him to worry about me, so I am going to smile and pretend that I feel fine. He doesn't need to know that something is wrong.

"Where did you sneak off to last night?" He asks as I approach "Once I finished on the phone, you were gone"

"I was exhausted. I needed to go to bed"

I feel bad for lying to my father about where I really was. I knew he wouldn't accept my relationship with Christian. He may be okay with Jose and I breaking up, but me moving on with Christian was a whole other issue. I know that he won't agree with Christian's wealth and luxury. He will judge him for it. I am actually scared to one day introduced the two to each other.

My father isn't just the problem. Christian doesn't have much experience with meeting the parents of the woman he is seeing. He doesn't have experience with biting his tongue, either. When he met my mother, the two ended up in an argument. He doesn't know how to play nice.

"How is Jose today?" I ask my father "Does he look any better?"

"Well, he isn't as high as he was yesterday. He is adamant about not going into rehab, but did we expect anything less?"

"Nope"

"I told him I will help him with the store until he gets back on his feet. I don't want that to be a worry for him"

"Daddy" I sigh and shake my head "The store isn't healthy for Jose. He…He uses it as an excuse"

"Well, it's not like he can sell it in this market. I don't think he wants to sell it, either. It may be the only constant thing in his life that he has to hold onto. Plus, he is in the middle of that business course. I don't want him more stressed than what he needs to be-"

"He is a grown man!" I snap at my father. "He doesn't need to be babied. That is what put him in this position. I enabled him. I made excuses for him. He will never change if we continue to make things easy for him. He needs to face the truth about that stupid store. He needs to realize that it is failing and there is no turning it around!"

I take a breath after my rant. I look up to my father who was staring in shock back at me. He was speechless. It was unlike me to raise my voice or snap at my father. I didn't know how else to get my point across, though. I was the quiet, shy, one. No one ever listened to what I had to say.

"I am sorry" I say quietly and begin to rub my temple "I am just…Frustrated with him and this whole situation. I have no idea what I am doing or what I should do"

Ray wraps a protective arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side, just like he'd do when I was a child. He messed up my hair "Annie, sweetie, no one expects you to know what to do. You are in a tricky situation. Jose needs us, though. He needs your support. You are such a caring, loving, kind soul; I know you're not going to desert him…"

What if I want to desert him?

Together we walk down the hall to Jose's hospital room. He was lying on the bed with a bored look in his eyes. On the tray beside the bed was a number of pamphlets. I knew that they were about depression. He would most likely be put on anti-depressants, but what help would they do if he doesn't change his life?

He gave me a small smile as I entered the room. I wished I could return it. I entered the room behind my father and sat down on the blue lounge opposite the bed. My father stood near the window with his arms crossed against his chest.

"I am sure you know why we're here" Ray began in a stern, fatherly voice. "We can't pretend as if everything okay. We need to address the issue. Jose, Ana and I both believe that therapy could be very beneficial for you. We also think that rehab would be-"

"I am not going to rehab" I roll my eyes and he noticed. "Ana, I am serious. I am not admitting myself into rehab. I am not a drug addict. I am not an alcoholic. I am not a lunatic. Everyone these days has depression. I'll deal with it like every other adult does and get on with my life"

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" My father asks him.

He sits up in bed "I have the store to take care of. Plus, I have numerous assignments to finish. I spent all that money on my business course, I can't abandon it. I can't afford to take time off!"

"You can!" I tell him "We have money sitting in the bank, remember? That money was meant to help us start a new life. Money isn't your issue; it's an excuse for you to not face your problems"

Jose's brown eyes stared back into mine "I am not going into rehab. End of discussion"

"Fine, then you need to see a therapist" My father interrupted.

"Ray…" Jose sighs "Therapy is a waste of money. What am I going to accomplish in therapy that I can't accomplish in the real world? I get that you're worried about me. I am fine, though"

"Son, even in my darkest hours I have never tried to mix pills and alcohol. Any functioning adult with a brain knows how stupid and deadly that is. You have everyone else fooled when you say you weren't trying to kill yourself. That you didn't mean to hurt yourself. But, Son, I see right through that. Annie and I are worried about you. We only want what is best for you, Jose"

He didn't have the courage to fight back with my father. If anything it looked like my father was getting through to him. He cast his eyes down and looked to his bare hands. Like me, he no longer wore his wedding band. His brown eyes looked back up into mine.

"Ray, can I speak to Ana for a minute?"

"Of course" Ray nods his head. He gives me a smile of encouragement before stepping out of the room. "I'll wait out in the hall…"

I stand from the lounge and move to the end of Jose's bed. That was as close as I was willing to get. I was trying to calm my emotions. Yet, whenever I looked at him, all I could think about was how many years I spent with him…And how many years he was lying to me. All he ever had to do was tell me the truth. It's not like I would've shunned him or rejected him. I would've still been there for him. I would still be his friend. Even if his father disapproved of his sexuality, he still would've had Allister and I. That wasn't enough for him. He needed and wanted his father's approval. Jose Sr. was the only parent that he had, it made sense for him to want his approval so badly.

"Ana, I don't have a problem"

"So you're not lying to yourself?"

"What?" A frown formed on his face "Lying about what?"

"Please do not play dumb right now. You have been fucking me over for the past six years. It is going to end here. You need to tell me the truth, Jose. You can't keep lying to me, or yourself. We both know what the real problem is. We both know that you're just a coward who'd rather run from his problems instead of manning up and facing them"

"I don't know what-"

" _Stop!"_ I snap at him "Stop lying! Please, for once in your life, tell me the truth. Treat me with some respect. I know that you're gay. Fuck, it's obvious actually. I am fool for not realizing it sooner"

Jose stared at me in shock. He didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure if he should deny it, make up another lie, or finally tell me the truth. I stared back at him and waited for him to say something…Anything. I just needed him to be honest with me. That's all I wanted.

Once I realized he wasn't going to say anything, I spoke up again. "I figured it out last night and Allister Kamp confirmed my suspicions. I don't understand why you never told me?"

My voice broke as I spoke again, I could feel tears burning at my eyes. "Were you scared of how I would react? Were you scared that I wouldn't still love you or be your friend? Even if our relationship ended, I would've been there for you. Why did you never tell me?"

"I don't know…" He says quietly "I have never told anyone. I have never said it out loud to anyone, Ana. I don't want to. My father always knew that something was wrong with me. Allister knew. I never had to say anything to him, he just understood. I never wanted to hurt you like this. I thought that I could change. I thought that once I was married my… _Perversions_ would go away"

I thought that I would come here today in a fit of anger. I thought that I would yell at him and tell him how hurt I was. I thought he would continue to lie and avoid my questions. I wasn't expecting him to open up and be honest.

"I understand if you hate me…"

"I don't hate you" I quickly say. I take a step closer to the bed and sit at the end of it "You're not my favourite person right now, but I don't hate you. I am trying to understand you. The past twenty-four hours have been hell for me. You have no idea how worried I was, then how confused I was. I am still confused. I feel as if…Our marriage was all a lie. I feel like an idiot for putting so much of myself into our marriage. I lost myself and you allowed that to happen"

"I do love you, Ana. I did try to be a good husband to you…"

"No you didn't" I shake my head "I don't think you understand how lost I felt. This isn't about who you love. This is about how you treated me. I feel like I am missing a part of me. I feel like half of the person I was two years ago. I feel like a shell of who I was. I gave up my dreams to help you achieve yours. I gave my all to that marriage, but you only ever gave half. Did you ever once think to sit me down and tell me the truth?"

"Yes"

"Why didn't you then?"

"I was scared" He reaches for my hand but I quickly move it away. I don't want to be comforted by him "I am sorry. I never meant to hurt you"

"You did, though"

I stand from the bed. I don't want to hear anything more from him. I need to accept that in order for me to move forward in my life, I have to leave Jose behind. I can't drop everything to be by his side when he does something stupid. I can't make excuses for him to justify the person he had become. I can't baby him and make everything easy for him anymore.

It's hard for me to walk away from someone. I never want to see someone hurt or in pain and not be able to help them. I realize now that I can't help Jose. There is nothing I can do to make him get help or fix his life. I have to say goodbye and walk away from him for good. Neither of us will ever move forward if we're still in each other's lives.

I now knew that not only was this relationship over, but so was our friendship.

I take a step towards the door, I hear Jose call out to me one more time "Ana, please, I don't want you to think that I was purposely hiding something from you. I just…I never knew how to tell you. I didn't know how to tell anyone, actually!"

"I hope you get the help that you need, Jose"

With that I walked out. I closed his hospital door behind me and I didn't look back. Once I was standing in the hallway of the hospital again, I took a long, deep breath. My heart was pounding in my chest. My hands were shaking. I tried to put on a false sense of bravado when talking to Jose, when in reality, I was an anxious mess.

My father makes his way towards me from the wooden bench "How'd it go?"

"It went" I shrug my shoulders "He won't listen to us about getting help. He is going to do whatever he wants to do. I can't waste my life worrying about him, anymore"

"I'll talk to him"

It didn't matter who talked him, he wasn't going to change.

* * *

As I was leaving the hospital, I got a call from Kate. She wanted to meet for coffee at the Starbucks not far from her apartment. She sounded as if something was wrong. It was strange for her to be calling me in the middle of the morning when she was meant to be at work. I needed the distraction so I decided to meet with her.

I drove my brand new, red, Audi A3. The car that Christian brought me as a present for himself. He was a strange and confusing man. Secretly, I did love the way it drove, but I would never let Christian know that.

I parked outside the café and walked inside to find Kate. Since it was ten-thirty in the morning, it wasn't busy. I found Kate easily. She wasn't dressed for work; she instead had on a pair of leggings and a loose sweater. Her blonde hair was in a messy bun. She had on no makeup. Katherine Kavanagh was never a slob. She always dressed to impress. The fact that she was dressed like this today told me something.

She and Elliot broke up.

It had happened with most of her boyfriends through college. After the breakup she'd be a drunk, crying, mess. She wouldn't wash her hair. She wouldn't eat. All she would do is cry.

"Hi" She says as she looks up at me "Sorry for calling, I know you must be busy with Jose"

"It's fine. I need the distraction anyway" I say as I take the seat opposite her in the booth. I put my clutch down beside me. "What happened, Kate? You don't look good"

She smiles and rolls her eyes "Thanks. How is Jose?"

"That is a loaded question" I say with a sigh "He is alive, which is the important thing. What happened, Kate? I know something is wrong. You'd never leave the house in just sweat pants if something wasn't wrong"

"I don't want to complain in front of you, given the day you've had. My problems seem minuscule compared to yours. I just…I didn't know who else to talk to. If I call my mother, she is going to say "I told you so". Allister won't pick up his phone. I don't really have close friends that I can talk to. You're like my sister, Ana. You were the only person I could call"

"What happened?" I ask her again.

"Well…You know how I thought Elliot was going to propose?" She asks me and I nod my head. She reaches into her bra and pulls out a tissue to wipe her eyes "He didn't. That night when we went back to mine, I asked him why he didn't. We got into a big fight. I asked him if he was really ready to get married like he said he was, and he stormed out. We didn't speak again until Sunday morning when he showed up at my door with flowers"

"He told me he loved me and he was serious about being with me. He told me that he was ready to propose and be with me forever. We made up. That night I got curious and I started to ask him about Grace. He never talks about his mother. He refused to talk about her. He got really defensive when I brought her up. I excused him of not trusting me and it got really ugly, Ana"

"I don't even know what I did to make him so angry with me. One minute he is all over me, and telling me he wants to be with me forever. I was sure he was going to propose. Now all of a sudden he hates me. I don't know what I did wrong!?"

"Kate, you can't blame yourself"

"Well, I obviously did something wrong. Read this-" She digs into her purse and pulls out her phone. She taps on the screen a few times before sliding the phone across the table to me. "-Read what he sent me"

I pick up the phone and see the text message that Elliot sent to her this morning.

 _Hey, Babe. We've been fighting a lot lately and I don't think we're going to work this out. I think it's best that we end it here. Xxx Elliot_

Oh my god. He broke up with her in a text message.

I look up to Kate and see her eyes were beginning to redden. She quickly wiped away her tears before she cried. I felt horrible for her. I knew she really liked Elliot. She thought he was the one and they were going to end up together. I didn't know what to say to her console her. What can you say to your best friend after her boyfriend dumps her through text?

Nothing I say will make her hurt go away.

"Kate…I don't even know what to say"

"I thought he was it for me. I thought I was going to have my happily ever after with him. He was the one who wanted to get married and have babies with me. The moment things get to hard, he runs!"

"At least you found out he was an ass before you married him"

That puts a smile on Kate's face. "Jose isn't that bad. At least you had a friendship with him before you had a relationship. With Elliot and I it was purely sex and nothing deeper"

I wasn't sure whether I should reveal Jose's secret to everyone else. I already told Christian and I was grateful that I had. I needed someone in my life that I could be completely honest with and not hold back. I also wanted to talk to Kate about it. It's not like she and Jose are close anymore.

"He is gay, Kate" I say in a quiet voice "My husband is gay…"

I wait for Kate to react. She doesn't, though. She goes to say something but then quickly shuts her mouth and sucks on her bottom lip. That was something she did when she was nervous, which was rare given how confident she was. I was expecting some kind of reaction to the news.

"I…I know…"

"You know?"

She nods her head slowly "I figured it out about a week ago. I was at Allister's and he looked as if he had just been…You know…Fucked. As I was leaving I saw a few of Jose's belongings in the apartment. It kind of just clicked for me. I wish I hadn't seen his stuff. I wish I didn't know. I have been feeling so guilty for not tell you…Ana…Please…Don't be mad at me"

Now I feel like even more of an idiot.

Everyone around me knew and no one thought to tell me.

"You've known for a week!?"

"Yes…"

"And I was staying with you last week. You could've told me then. You had the whole week to tell me and you didn't. I thought you were meant to be my best friend? I thought I was meant to be like a sister to you?"

"You are!"

"Then why didn't you tell me? Sisters wouldn't keep this stuff from each other!"

"Why didn't you invite me to your wedding !?" She snaps back at me "Sisters wouldn't get married in secret! I know it was wrong of me to hold the information from you, but I didn't know when or how to tell you. I thought it was best for him to tell you, not me. I am sorry, Ana, I really am"

"Does anyone think about what I want?" I ask her "I would've liked to know if my husband was secretly gay. No one thought about me, though. Not you, not Allister, not Jose, not my mother, and not even Christian. You all think you know what is best for me!"

"Ana, I am sorry-"

"I am sick of people apologising to me. I don't want to hear it anymore!" I stand up from the booth and grab my clutch. I look back to the emotional Kate, and part of me feels bad for wanting to leave her when she is obviously upset. I am angry, though.

I have spent my life being the quiet, sweet, introverted, innocent, Anastasia Steele. I never stood up for myself. I never had a backbone. I let people walk all over me. I was tired of that girl, I didn't want to be her anymore.

* * *

After my horrific coffee date with Kate which barely lasted twenty minutes, I didn't know what to do with myself. I didn't want to go to the hospital. I didn't want to go to Kate's apartment. I didn't want to go to Jose's home. I didn't want to go to Christian's suite. I didn't know where to go.

I felt lost.

I had two amazing job offers. One was in a country that I had always had a fascination with, the other here in Seattle. They both had pros and cons. The job in London is my dream job. It may only be an internship, but I would be learning from some of the best. Plus, I would spend three months in another country. I've always wanted to travel. The downside to London was the fact that I would be leaving Christian behind. He can't pack up and move his company across the world.

The job with _Seattle Independent Publishing_ was amazing. I would start as a Commissioning Editor. That was unheard of for someone with no experience. Would I be any good at the job if I had no idea what I was doing?

The plus side to working for _SIP_ would be that I could stay in Seattle and with Christian. I was being offered a high-level job which would take me years to work towards if it were any other company.

I want to go to London, but I don't want to leave Christian.

I don't know what to do anymore. I don't know who I trust and who I don't trust. I don't know where I belong. I don't know who I am. My once easy, boring, mundane, life had spiralled out of control.

After driving around the city, deep in thought, I decided to go to Grey House. I knew that the only person who would help me make sense of things was Christian. He was my rock, which is something I never thought would happen.

It was twelve in the afternoon when I walked into the modern office building. That meant the ground floor was bustling with people. One thing I noticed was most of the female staff looked and dressed the same. They were all stick-thin in their perfect suits. They all had perfect blonde hair that was pinned back. They looked like they belonged on a catwalk and not in an office.

Did Christian have a preference for blondes?

As I walked into the office, I was stopped by the burly security men. They asked for my name and why I was at Grey House. I thought I was going to be sent away, but once I gave them my name they quickly sent me up with directions on how to get to Christian's office.

I rode the elevator to the top floor. The doors opened to reveal a modern, white, office. Everything looked so clean and perfect. There were two women sitting behind a white desk, one a blonde and the other a red-head. The blonde woman stood with a polite smile on her perfect, porcelain face. She smoothed out her black dress as she approached me.

"Ms. Steele?"

It had been a while since I was called _Ms. Steele._

"Yes…Umm…I am here to meet Christian" My eyes dart up to the clock on the wall and I see that I am half-an-hour early.

"Mr. Grey is currently busy. Why don't you take a seat? I will let him know that you're here"

I took a seat on the white sofa and waited for Christian. I felt extremely self-conscious when sitting there. The red headed woman was watching me with a scowl on her face. I ignored her and instead focused on answering emails on my phone. I was going to set up an interview with both _Seattle Independent Publishing_ and _Michaelson's Publishing_.

I had only been waiting for ten minutes when I heard Christian's voice coming from down the hall. I looked over to see him walking beside Taylor with a white sheet of paper scrunched up in his hands.

"I don't want fucking updates on her" Christian growled "I don't give a fuck what she does. I don't give a fuck who she starts fights with, or what drugs she is being sedated with. In my mind, she doesn't exist. The only thing I care about is her staying far away from my family!"

 _Who was he talking about?_

"Fuck. I thought she was meant to be sedated and unable to cause any trouble. The last thing I want or need right now is _her_ creating more drama. Talk to the doctor, do whatever you have to do to make sure that crazy bitch stays away from my family…And away from Anastasia"

"Yes, Sir"

It sounded like he was talking about his ex-sub. The one he said was insane. He hadn't told me what she had done, but I suspected it had something to do with his mother. Kate had told me that she didn't believe Grace Grey had died in her sleep due to an aneurism. I wasn't sure if I believed it either. Christian was so antsy when it came to talking about his mother.

 _Had he done something to her!?_

No, he wouldn't. I know in my heart and in my gut, that Christian would never harm his own mother. I do believe that his crazy ex-sub had something to do with it, though. I don't know what she did, but I know that something happened.

Christian emerged into the entry of his office. The scowling red head quickly jumped up from the desk to offer him something to drink. He ignored her, and instead his eyes were on mine. His eyes lazily scanned over my body. I saw that hungry, wild, look in his eyes.

"Anastasia, I was not expecting you this early"

I stand from the sofa "Sorry, I didn't know what else to do. I can come back at one if you want-"

"No" He quickly tells me. He looks to the red head who was still giving me dirty looks. I soon realized why she kept looking at me like that – it was because she was jealous that I was here with Christian. "Olivia will pick our food up from the Deli. Come, I want to give you a tour of my office"

I was amazed by his office. It was very modern with clean, straight, white and black lines everywhere. There wasn't one thing out of place. I asked him about GEH and he spoke proudly of his business. I learnt more about how and where he started GEH. He started in his tiny apartment, and then he moved into a dirty office building, he then rented a floor in this building. Slowly over the years he rented more and more floors, before buying the whole building and naming it Grey House. Of course, he did all of that in the span of eighteen months.

After showing me around his building, he led me to his office. His office was sparse with floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out to the city. Olivia had gone out and brought us lunch. It consisted of an assortment of sandwiches. They all looked delicious. We sat on the black leather lounge to eat.

"I spoke to Kate today" I told him "Did you hear that she and Elliot broke up?"

"Yes, my brother called me last night while you were at the hospital. He told me he was going to break up with her. I wasn't sure whether he would do it or not. He usually thinks with his dick and not his brain"

"He is a dick" I mutter "He broke up with her in a text message! That is so…Mean. He didn't even give her an explanation as to why they broke up. Do you know why?"

Christian shrugs his shoulders as he takes another bite of his pulled pork sandwich. "It was only a matter of time"

That didn't really answer my question.

"Kate and I also had a fight. Apparently she has known for a week that Jose was gay and never said anything…" I explain to him "I understand why you didn't tell me, you didn't really know if he was or not. She had clear proof that he was and she didn't say anything. I was living with her and she didn't tell me!"

"Why don't you stay with me?" Christian then smiles "You can move in with me actually. The past few days, waking up in bed with you, has been amazing. I want that. I want to wake up in bed with you every single morning for the rest of my life, Anastasia. Move in with me"

Waking up every single morning with him by my side, and spending the rest of my life with him, does sound incredible. It also sounded a lot like a marriage proposal. Did I want to marry him? Yes. I saw myself having children with him one day. I also saw myself having a career…

I have to tell him about London.

"I am not sure if I can move in with you"

"Why not?"

"I might be moving to London…"

He almost choked on his sandwich when I said that. He was shocked. He put his food aside and turned to face me. His eyes wide with fear. " _London!?"_

"Yes"

"What the fuck would you be moving to London for?"

"I may be getting a job there. I applied for an internship" I quietly say.

"Fucking hell" He growled under his breath. His hands raked through his hair. He stood from the lounge. He began to walk back and forth. He was like a pacing lion. "How many companies did you apply to? Is there anymore I should worry about?"

"It was just the two. Why would you worry? You're the one who told me I deserved a much bigger life. You're the one who told me I have so much potential. You're the one who told me that if I pushed myself, I'd be amazed by what I could accomplish. This is me pushing myself and doing what you want!"

"This is not what I want!" He shakes his head "Why the fuck would I want you half-way across the world? What happened to _Seattle Independent Publishing?"_

"They declined me…And then they also offered me a job. I don't think I want to work there, though. They offered me the position of Commissioning Editor. I have never worked in a Publishing House, Christian. I need to learn how they work and operate before I can have such a high-level position"

"You'd rather take an internship and basically be someone's assistant, over being the Commissioning Editor?"

"Yes!" I say " _MP_ is a highly respected company. I'd be learning from some of the best. Plus, I'd spend three months in London. I can experience the world. Just the idea of moving there fills me with excitement. I haven't been this excited about something in a long time…"

I can see he is conflicted. I stand from the lounge and walk to him. I place my hands on his chest. I can feel his heart beating fast. "I won't be gone for long. Plus, it's not like you can't visit me. You own your own jet, remember?"

He continues to shake his head. He says quietly under his breath "This wasn't what I planned for…"

"What?"

"I had this all worked out, Ana. I had no idea you were looking at companies in London"

"What do you mean you had it worked out?"

Then it clicked inside me. He had acted strange the day at the market when I was rejected by _SIP_. He had talked about buying a local company that was on the rocks. Not only was _SIP_ now willing to hire me, but they were also offering me a job that I am not qualified for.

"Oh my god" I step away from Christian "You brought _Seattle independent,_ didn't you?"

"Yes. I brought it because I knew how badly you wanted a job in publishing!"

"You didn't think I could get one on my own?"

"No! Fuck. That is not what I meant! I was only trying to help you, Ana. I brought it for you. One day I will sign it over to you. Not because I think you can't find a job on your own, but because I know how much talent you have. You could turn that company around!"

"I didn't get the job because of my skills. I didn't get it because I was the best applicant. I got it because I am fucking the new boss. They would never have hired me if you hadn't stepped in. God, Christian, did you honestly think this was a good idea?"

"Yes…"

"My boyfriend brought me a job. How am I meant to feel confident and proud of my work when that is all I'll think about?"

I knew he was controlling and possessive, but this was too far, even for him.

I turn around and reach for my handbag that was sitting on the sofa. I threw it over my shoulder and walked towards the door.

"Ana!" He called out in a panic "Where are you going?"

I spin around to face him "I don't know!"

"I am sorry, I didn't realize it would upset you. I was only trying to help. I don't want you to leave when you're angry with me. Can we talk about it tonight when I get home?"

"Between Jose being in hospital, finding out he is gay, Kate not telling me, and now you buying me a job…I am exhausted. I…I need some time to think about what I want and what I need. I am going to stay at my old house for a few days"

"Ana, you can't leave me…"

"I am not leaving you, Christian. I need to get away from everyone's drama. I need to take a minute to breathe" I take another step towards him. I plant a gentle kiss on his cheek. "I'll call you at the end of the week. We'll talk then"

I did feel guilty leaving him. I didn't want him to think I was breaking up with him. I knew that I didn't want that. I was so over-whelmed. I felt like I was on the edge of a breakdown. A few days away from everyone should clear my mind...

As I left his office, I knew what I had to do. I couldn't put it off any longer.

It was time for me to file divorce papers.

* * *

 **I know a lot of you are worried about Ana going to London. Don't worry, I promised a HEA didn't I?**

 **Next chapter will be dedicated to Christian!**

 **So, Review and let me know what you think! :)**


	18. Chapter 18

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **I am sorry for the later than usual update. I was simply too busy to write.**

 **On a happier note, we passed 500 reviews! So, a big thankyou for that! I never thought this story would reach 50 reviews, much less 500.**

 **Now on with the story...**

* * *

Chapter 18

Christian Grey paced back and forth in his office. The old Christian would never lose control like this. He would know exactly what to do. He wouldn't let Ana leave his office. He would've bent her over his desk and fucked her until she agreed to his terms. That was how the old Christian Grey would operated. He knew that Ana wouldn't respond well to that.

She needed time away to think about what she wanted. That meant she needed to think about Christian and where he stood in her life. He wasn't sure what he would do if at the end of the week Ana decided to end things between them. Without her, he had nothing. There was absolutely nothing in his life worth getting up for; besides her.

Could he go to London?

It is only three months. He does have companies based all over the world. It wouldn't take much for him to set up an office over there. He would have to work late nights…Very late nights. He would do it for her. Maybe he could take more than three months off? Ana did say she wanted to experience the world. They could experience it together. He could take a year off instead. They could spin a globe and wherever their finger landed, that was where they'd visit next.

Of course that all depended on whether Ana still wanted him in her life. Ever since she met him, her life had been full of drama.

As long as she is with Christian, there will always be drama in her life. She still had yet to learn about what happened to his mother. The culprit of his mother's death was still out there. She was still causing trouble and she always will as long as she is alive. The only thing Christian could do to keep her away from his family, was to pay doctors a lot of money to keep her drugged.

Ana had been accepting of his past. Could she be accepting of this? Will she still love him, or will she see him as a monster?

He didn't want to think about that…

He knows what he wants with Ana. He wants a future with her and in order to make that future a reality, he needs to be completely honest with her. She needed to know what happened to his mother.

He grabs his phone, then his car keys, and storms out of his office.

"Mr. Grey!" Andrea called out to him "You have a meeting with Carmichael at-"

"Re-schedule it" He snapped at her on his way to the elevator. "I am going out for the evening. I'll have my phone on me"

He impatiently stood in the elevator watching the numbers descend. His leg was bouncing as he stood there. He wanted to hurry up and get out of here. Of course the elevator had to stop on the eighteenth floor – which was the legal department – to let a young woman on. She had her jet black hair in a neat braid. The moment she saw Christian, her eyes went wide and her teeth sunk into her lip. He knew that look well.

He kept his eyes ahead of him and refused to look at her. He wasn't interested in her in the slightest. Yes, she was an attractive woman, but she was nothing compared to Anastasia. God, what had she done to him? The old Christian would never have devoted himself like this to a woman. He had changed so much for her, and he was glad he had. He liked the person he had become much more than the person he was.

Like most Seattle days, it was raining when he left Grey House. He drove his Audi through the busy and wet city streets of Downtown Seattle. It was five in the afternoon so everyone was in their cars trying to get home.

It was six at night by the time he reached the suburb of Bellevue. He knew these streets well. As a child he would ride his bike down these streets with his brother. When he was really young, his mother would walk him to the park with his siblings. Of course he never played with the other kids like Elliot did, he liked to stay by his mother's side.

His mother was his saving grace. She rescued him and nurtured him. She loved him. He was never able to show that love back to her. That was his biggest regret in life. He was never able to show his mother how much he really did love her. He would've loved for her to meet Ana. One day he plans on starting a family with her…That day was very far in the future. All that his mother ever wanted from him was for him to find happiness. Now he had found it, and he wasn't able to share that with his mother.

He would do anything to go back in time and change that day.

He pulled into the long curved driveway of his family home. He could see the lights on inside the house. He hoped that his father would be home from work by now. He needed to speak to him right now. He needed his father's advice.

He stepped out of his car into the Seattle rain. He ran up the front steps of his family home and banged his fist against the heavy, wooden door. He continued to bang on it until he heard the sound of heels approaching the door. That would be Greta, his father's housekeeper.

She opened the door and her eyes travelled over Christian's wet body. "Mr. Grey…We…We weren't expecting you here this evening-"

"Is my father home?" Christian asked as he stepped through the door. He stepped past the woman into the foyer of his family home. "I need to speak with him"

"Mr. Grey is in his office. I will get him for you"

"No" Christian shakes his head "I know where his office is"

As a teenager he spent countless hours in his father's office. Whenever he acted out, that was where he was sent. He loved his father, but he was never close to him. He wasn't sure why either. It's not like Carrick didn't give him love or affection. He actually did everything in his power to protect Christian after what happened to his mother. But they never had a bond like most father and sons. Christian never wanted that with him. He was happy to stay at arms-length from the man.

He stopped outside his office door. He wasn't sure if he should go in. He took a breath before knocking on the door and turning the doorknob. He stepped into the room and saw his father sitting at his desk behind his computer. His eyes glanced up and did a double-look when he saw Christian there.

"Christian?" Carrick stands from his desk and walks towards his son. "I wasn't expecting you tonight, Son. Is everything alright?"

"Fine"

"Really?" Carrick raises an eyebrow "You look pale. Why don't you have a seat and I will fix you a drink. What do you want? Wine? Whiskey? Brandy?"

Christian nods his head and falls back on one of his father's brown recliners. They faced out the window and into the large backyard. "A glass of Whiskey sounds good right now. Is Mia home?"

"Yes, she is upstairs" Carrick returns to Christian with two glasses of Whiskey in his hands. He hands one to Christian before taking a seat on the recliner beside him. "I think she is going out with friends tonight"

"It's Tuesday night"

"I know" Carrick sighs and takes a long drink from his glass "There isn't much I can do for your sister. She is a grown woman. I can't ground her and keep her home. I can't take away her car or forbid her from seeing her friends. Going out with people and spending time with her friends is how she deals with…Your mother's death"

His sister was an alcoholic. Yes, she was twenty-three, but going out almost every night was not healthy. She was an alcoholic. Everyone knew it, but no one did anything about it. It was easier to ignore things and pretend as if everything was fine in their family. It was how Carrick dealt with his wife's death.

"Elliot called me last night" Christian explains to his father "He was scared because Kate was starting to ask a lot of questions about our Mum. He wasn't sure what he should do. I told him that if he was serious about marrying her, then she had a right to know what happened. Obviously he wasn't serious about marrying her because he broke up with her this morning"

"He did the right thing. They were both too immature to be married. Your brother wants children, but he doesn't want a wife. It would've been a mistake to tell her"

As much as he disliked Katherine Kavanagh, he knew that his brother loved her. She had captured his attention for almost a year, which was longer than any of his previous girlfriends. Just because he loved her didn't mean he was ready to commit himself to her. Maybe she was the love of his life? Maybe she was the one who would give Elliot children? Maybe Elliot just made a huge mistake by breaking up with her?

Christian had no doubt that the two would move on and fall in love again with other people.

He doubted that he would ever be able to move on from Anastasia. The idea of being with another woman, or her being with another man, angered him beyond belief. She was it for him and he knew that without a shadow of a doubt. He never wanted to be without her. If he had it his way, she would be his wife…Not Jose's.

He didn't want there to be any lies or secrets between them.

"Father, I will be telling Anastasia everything that happened between Leila and Grace. I wanted to let you know so that way you can be prepared"

Carrick put his glass aside and moved a wrinkled hand through his greying hair. He began to shake his head in protest "Christian…You barely know the woman-"

"She deserves to know. I am telling her. You cannot talk me out of it"

"I think she is a great girl, Christian, but can you honestly trust her with this information. If this is ever leaked to the press, it would ruin you" Carrick looked Christian dead in the eyes "You've only been dating the woman for a few weeks. If you were married it would be different. Why can't you wait it out and if one day you end up marrying the woman, then you can tell her"

"I am going to marry her. If I could, I would marry her tonight. I am in love with her and I want her to know everything about me. I don't want there to be secrets between us. I don't want to lie to her and tell her my mother died due to a fucking aneurism!"

Carrick puts his head in his hands and begins to rub his eyes. He lets out a long sigh. Christian could see that he was frustrated. He had already made up his mind, though. He wanted her to know the real truth. Even if that meant she would leave him, he still wanted to be honest with her.

"What about…Your… _Lifestyle_?" Carrick awkwardly asks "Is she a part of that world? Does she know about it?"

"She knows. She doesn't practice BDSM. I don't want her apart of that world" Christian braces forward in his seat "There was an incident over the weekend regarding Leila. She saw the photos on TV of Ana and I at the beach. She got extremely jealous. She tried to escape the hospital and seriously hurt a nurse in the process. They managed to sedate her and have put her back in isolation. Leila is out there Father, and she is dangerous"

"I am going to marry Anastasia one day. I already know that I will. She deserves to know about Leila and what she did. As long as she is in my life, Leila is a danger to her. She needs to know. I am not going to hide this from her for the rest of our life. I am just giving you a heads up about it"

Carrick stood from the armchair and Christian followed his father. He watched as he walked around the wooden desk and opened the top draw. He pulled out a piece of paper which he handed to Christian. He recognised what it was; he had handed out a few in his lifetime.

It was a Non-disclosure Agreement. It was something that Christian had given to all his submissive's in the past. They would never discuss their relationship with Christian to anyone else. If they did, they would owe him a lot of money. He understood why his father was handing him one.

"I am not giving my girlfriend a NDA"

Carrick shook his head and muttered under his breath "For God's sake, Christian…"

"I trust her. She will not go and talk to the media. I am not giving her a NDA!"

"Christian, would you stop being so stubborn? I get that you're in love. She is a beautiful girl and I am sure you will be very happy with her. I would love to see you marry her. I would love to see you two have a family together. If you feel as if telling her is the right thing to do, then do it. I obviously can't stop you. But, you need to think about this. You need to think about what would happen to you and your family if the media finds out the truth. I doubt they ever will, but there is always a chance. We covered up a murder, Christian. We could end up behind bars for what we did. Stop thinking with your heart, and think with your brain"

He understood what his father was telling him. He had to protect his family. He trusted Ana and he knew she wouldn't go public with this information, but there was still a chance that something could leak. He had to protect his family and his reputation. She would need to sign the NDA.

"Fine" Christian gave in.

"It is the right thing to do, Christian"

The two stared at each other for a moment. Neither of them knew what to say. He was grateful when his father spoke up again to break the tension in the room. "When are you playing on telling her?"

"I don't know, whenever she starts speaking to me again"

That made Carrick smile "Oh…What did you do?"

"I brought her a company. I thought she'd want it. She kept talking about how badly she wanted to use her degree and get a job. Apparently, buying your girlfriend a company is not a good thing. She was offended by it if anything"

Carrick continued to smile "You have a lot to learn about women…"

He did. He knew the women's body like the back of his hand. He knew a woman's erogenous zones and how to turn them on. He could read a woman's body language. He knew when they were attracted to Christian and when they lusting after him. But, he knew absolutely nothing when it came to their psyche.

"You really are in love with Anastasia, aren't you?"

Christian nods his head as his answer.

"She is a beautiful girl, inside and out" Carrick's smile slowly fell from his face "Your mother would've loved her. She would've been so happy to see you find love and happiness. That's all she ever wanted for you, Christian. That is all we ever wanted for you"

He wished so badly that his mother could've met her.

He said a quiet goodbye to his father as he left his office. He could see that his father was still unsure about Christian telling Ana the truth about Grace. His father knew him well. He knew that no matter what he said, at the end of the day Christian will always do what he wants.

He knows that this is the right thing to do. He isn't sure how she will react or take the news, but he needed to get this off his chest. He doesn't want his relationship with her to turn into the relationship she had with Jose. They had no communication or intimacy between them. That's what ruined them.

He saw himself in ten years on a Sunday morning in bed with Ana. He never thought about children, but when he pictures his future with her, he sees himself having a family with her. They would hopefully have boys. He could never handle having a little girl, especially if she came out looking like her mother. A year ago, he would never have thought of such a thing. He would never have thought that he was going to meet the love of his life.

He was beyond in love with her and grateful to have her in his life. At the end of the day, did it really matter if she moved to London for three months? He wanted to spend the next seventy years with her. Three months was nothing…Well, it would actually be horrible spending that much time away from her. He promised to give her anything. He was willing to give her the world. Right now all she wanted was to take this job in London.

It would be wrong of him to hold her back. He would be no better than Jose if he did that. It's not like she will be gone forever. It's not like he can never visit. He could spend time in London with her. This wasn't about Christian, and this wasn't about their relationship, this was about Ana.

If this was what she really wanted, he shouldn't be the one to hold her back.

* * *

Before he left his father's house, there was one more thing that he needed to do. He needed to speak with his sister and collect something from her. It was rare for him and his sister to talk. Most of the time they ignored the other. That was the easiest thing for them to do. He did miss Mia. He missed having a relationship with her.

He wished that things were different.

He walked upstairs and down the hall. Mia's bedroom was the third room on the left. He could hear her electronic music blaring from inside the bedroom. Christian stopped outside her door before knocking. He wasn't sure if this was a good idea or not. He wasn't sure how his sister would respond to what he wanted.

It took a moment before the music was turned off and Mia opened her bedroom door. She was in a robe with her shoulder length hair half up and half down. She was in the middle of curling it. She had a face full of makeup on. She was obviously going out tonight.

She was surprised to see Christian standing in her doorway. "Christian? What're you doing here?"

"I came to see dad" He said awkwardly. He shifted on his feet. "I wanted to talk to him about something"

"He is in his office-"

"I also wanted to speak with you"

"Me?"

Christian nods to the door "Can I come in?"

Mia steps out of the doorway and opens her door further to allow Christian in. He stepped into Mia's messy room. It was a pink mess. There were clothes thrown all over the floor. The bed was unkempt. Christian judged his sister's mess, but if it weren't for house-keepers or hotel maids, Christian's room would look exactly like hers. The Grey children were never taught how to cook or clean.

Mia had studied culinary science in France a few years back. She was a great cook after studying the art. Like everything else, she gave up on it when it became too hard. She could never stick to one goal. She gave up her dream of being a chef and decided to go to college instead. She was studying to become a teacher…But then Grace died. She dropped out of college and moved back in with their father.

"Did you hear that Elliot and Kate broke up?" He asks her.

"Yep!" She says with a smug smile. She sits down on her stool in front of the mirror and begins to curl her hair "Good riddance, I say. We all knew they would never work out. Elliot loves to say that he is ready to settle down and start a family. He will never do that with a woman like Kate. She is still so young and immature"

"She is the same age as you"

"Exactly" Mia glances over her shoulder to Christian "He needs a woman who is his age…Maybe even older. Of course that will never happen, he loves his young blondes. Just like you love your brunette's with blue eyes"

"Mia, Anastasia and Leila are two completely different people"

"They look identical, Christian!" Mia places her curling iron on the table and turns on her stool to face Christian "Do you have any idea how freaky it is to sit across a dining table from a woman who is the splitting image of the woman who killed our mother? It is creepy. Why do you have to date _her_? There are a thousand women out there who would happily be with you…Why her?"

"Because…Fuck…I don't know!" Christian snaps at her "Yes, she does share some similarities with Leila. I promise you, they are two different people. A lot of people have brown hair and blue eyes. That's the only similarities they share. It did freak me out when I first saw her, but I soon discovered how different they are"

His sister doesn't say anything; she just stares back at him. "Leila was a psychotic bitch. She still is. Ana is this happy, bubbly, loving, sweet, ball of light. I am madly in love with her. I am going to marry her one day. That is why I am here. I talked to Dad and I told him that I will be telling Ana everything that happened"

"Christian, you can't do that…"

He takes a step back to sit on the white ottoman at the end of Mia's bed. "I don't want to be like Elliot. He broke up with Kate because she was starting to ask deeper questions about what happened to Mum. I don't want to have to hide my past from the woman I love. I don't want there to be any secrets between us"

Mia shrugs her shoulders with a sigh of defeat "It's not like anything I say will change your mind. You have always been so stubborn. If you think it is the right thing to do, no one is going to be able to stop you"

Christian smiles at that. It was true. He was stubborn and he had no plans on changing that. He liked to play by his own rules and do things his way. That's part of the reason why he loved being a CEO so much. He had no one above him telling him what to do.

"There is also one more thing that I wanted to speak with you about…"

"Yes?"

Christian shyly digs his hands into his pockets "After Mum died you and Elliot were able to take a piece of her jewellery. I never took anything for myself. Elliot has her pocket watch. Dad has her wedding ring. You took her earrings and necklaces. You also took her engagement ring…The one that was passed down from Grandma"

"I understand if you want to say no. I don't expect you to say yes. I just…I thought…Well…Elliot isn't getting married anytime soon, and if he is, he already has a ring ready. I don't think that you're ready to get married. I get it if you say no, but…What I am asking is-"

"Do you want her engagement ring?"

Christian nods his head. He looks into his sisters brown eyes. Given the things that had happened and how Mia felt about her brother, he understood if she said no. He had nothing of his mothers. After she died, he didn't think it was fair of him to take anything. He didn't want the ring for himself; he wanted it so that way one day he could propose to Ana. One day in the far, far, future. Once she was divorced from Jose, then they could talk about marriage. He wanted her to have his mother's ring on her finger. He wanted his future son to propose to the women he loves with that ring.

Mia rose from her stool and walked into her wardrobe. He watched from the room as she opened a draw and looked through it. A moment later she returned from the walk-in-wardrobe with a small black box in her hand. She stopped in front of Christian and held it out to him.

"Thank you" He quietly tells her.

He takes it from her and opens the box to look at the vintage ring inside. It had been his Grandmother's engagement ring. It had a simple gold band with an Oval cut diamond. Christian could already imagine it on Anastasia's hand.

"She has changed you, Christian. I hope you really are happy with her"

"I am"

* * *

I shut the lid of my laptop with a sigh of relief. I was grateful that was over. I had been stressing about my interview with _Michaelson's Publishing_ all week. I hope that it went well. I answered all their questions and said all the right things. I hoped that they couldn't pick up on my nervousness.

Since being away from Jose, My father, Kate, and Christian, my mind had been cleared. I didn't have to worry about everyone else. I was able to focus on me and what I needed to do. I was able to clean out my wardrobe and sort through the things that I would take with me, and the things I would throw out. I decided that I would donate or throw out the majority of my clothes. I was going to keep the dress that Christian brought me. Apart from that, everything else would be donated or thrown out.

I had filed for divorce and I now needed Jose to sign the papers. Today he would be returning from the hospital and I would be informing him that I had filed the papers. There was absolutely no reason for us to have a drawn out divorce. We would split our Five-hundred-thousand in half and go our separate ways. I wasn't interested in taking the house or the store from him. If anything, I was relieved to not have the burden of the hardware store on my shoulders anymore.

I place my laptop on the lounge beside me and reach for my phone that was sitting on the coffee table. I so badly wanted to call Christian. I don't know what I wanted to say to him. It's not like he'll want to hear about how my interview with _MP_ went.

I have only been away from him for three days, and yet I miss him.

I now understand what people mean when they say they are hopelessly and madly in love.

Should I call him?

I want to hear his voice. I want to know that everything is okay between us. As much as I love the idea of moving to London for three months, I love him more. The job is only an internship…But it is an internship for a company that I respect. No matter what happens, I know that I can't take the job at _Seattle Independent Publishing_. I need more career and life experience before I can ever be successful in the role of _Commissioning Editor._

As I stare at his number in my phone, I hear the sound of a taxi pull up outside the house. A moment later Jose stepped outside of the cab. He handed some cash over to the driver before picking up his bag from the hospital. I had been dreading this moment.

"Great…" I say with a sigh.

I knew that he would be home today. I thought it would be later in the afternoon, not at eleven in the morning. I listen to his heavy footsteps on the wooden porch, a moment later I heard the sound of keys in the door. I take a deep breath before standing off the lounge to greet him.

Jose froze in the doorway when he saw me standing there. "Ana? What are you doing here? I didn't think you'd want to be here…"

I didn't want to be here.

"Ahhh…I just needed to take care of some things"

"I can see that" Jose nods to the plastic bags of clothes sitting next to the front door. One had 'Donate' on it; the other had 'Throw Out'. He had a sad look in his eyes when he looked at the bags sitting on the floor. I guess it was real now. I was definitely moving out.

I can't let myself for guilty for leaving him.

I hate the awkwardness that was hanging between us. Neither of us could look the other in the eye. Jose kept shifting on his feet and digging his hands into the pocket of his jeans. He did look better. He didn't look as dead in the eyes as he did when I saw him in hospital just days ago.

I didn't think you'd be here" He says awkwardly. "I thought you were going to be staying with Grey. I did see the photos of you together. You seem…Close.

I shake my head "Don't start this…"

"I am not trying to start anything. I thought you were going to be with him, I didn't expect you to be here. I don't suppose that you are planning on staying?"

"No" I shake my head "I am going to book a hotel downtown and stay there for a little while. I came back here to pick up the rest of my things. I am taking my family photos and my documents. Everything else can go or you can have it. I have no need for it anymore"

I needed to tell him that I had filed for divorce. He would receive the papers soon, and I didn't want him to be blindsided by it. I don't know why it made me so uncomfortable and nervous to tell him. I like to pretend that I am a strong-willed, confident, woman. I like to think that I am more like Kate and I can stand up for myself. The truth is I am not. My empathy is my biggest flaw. I care too much for people. I am not the strong, fierce, female that I like to pretend I am. I never was.

I wish I could hate Jose and feel nothing for him. I wish I could cut off any emotional attachment that I have with him. Yes, he hurt me by leading me on for so many years. Yes, I hurt him by sleeping with Christian Grey.

I still care for him.

 _He isn't your responsibility, Ana. He is a grown man. He has made his choice and now he needs to live with it. There is nothing more you can do to help him. You deserve a much bigger life than the one he was giving you…_

"I filed for a divorce" I blurt out in a rushed breath.

Judging by Jose's reaction, he was surprised. I don't know why he would be surprised. We've both slept with other people since being separated. There was absolutely zero chance of us rekindling our _"_ _love"._

He ran a hand over his dark stubble as he thought about what I just said. I guess it was a shock to hear. It was one thing to talk about getting a divorce; it was another thing to actually do it.

"I knew it was only a matter of time before you did" Jose shrugs his shoulders.

"We don't need to draw it out and make it difficult. I don't want any of your possessions. I don't want the house or the store. I definitely don't want the store. We will split the five-hundred-thousand in half. I just want a clean, simple, easy, divorce" I look into his brown eyes "Please don't make this harder than what it needs to be"

I step past him and walks down the dark hall towards the main bedroom. I have my suitcase and handbag ready to go. I packed my things earlier this morning. I have everything that I need from this house, in that suitcase. There is absolutely no reason for me to return to this place.

I pick up the handle of my suitcase and wheel it down the hall. I dig my hand into my handbag and find the small box that was holding my wedding and engagement ring. I stop in front of Jose and hand it over to him. "Here" I tell him. "You brought these for me, so it is only fair that you have them. I have no need for them anymore"

"What the fuck am I going to do with them?"

"I don't know. Throw them away. Donate them. Keep them. I don't care what you do with them, Jose" I pull out my set of keys from my handbag. I remove both the house key and the store key. I hand them over to him as well.

I start to walk away from him, but his hand wraps around my bicep and stops me. "Ana – wait – I just wanted to tell you that I am sorry for the way that everything turned out. I never wanted things to end this way between us. You are one of the few peoples who I could call a friend and I never wanted to lose that"

I slowly nod my head. "I should get going"

Neither of us say goodbye to each other. I pick up my suitcase and wheel it out the front door. I don't look back at the house or take a moment to say goodbye to it. I know that I am not going to see Jose again for a long time, and I am okay with that. I am not returning to this house either. Hopefully once I am gone, Jose will realize how lonely his life really is. Hopefully, he will change his life.

In ten years he may be chasing his dream in photography, or he might still be working in the store.

I load my bags into the back of my Audi and then jump into the driver's seat. As I am pulling out of the driveway, I get one last look at the house. As I am driving away, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I feel like I can breathe again.

I am done with Jose. I have ticked him off my list of things to do. Now it is off to see Kate. I need to apologize for my outburst. She is one of the few friends I have and I don't want to lose her. I need to pick up my belongings from her apartment and then check into a hotel.

Tomorrow I will speak to Christian.

I have been away for two days, and yet I miss him so badly. Being away from him has only made my feelings deeper. If I miss him this much after only two days…How could I go three months away from him?

* * *

 **This chapter was a much quieter chapter to lead us into the next one. I promise that Ana and Christian will be together again next chapter. Also, you are _very_ close to finding out what happened to Grace.**

 **Does anyone have any theories on what happened? I have been dropping hints since the beginning...**

 **One person has figured it out!**

 **Also, I wonder what Christian plans on doing with his mother's engagement ring?**

 **Review and let me know what you think is going to happen next? :)**


	19. Chapter 19

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **I loved reading all of your interesting and creative theories on what happened to Grace...**

 **Please mind any grammar or spelling mistakes, I didn't have a lot of time to edit. :)**

 **Now, onto the story...**

* * *

Chapter 19

I climbed up the many stairs of Kate's apartment building. I had her apartment key between my fingers as I nervously twirled it around. I had texted her earlier to let her know that I was stopping by her apartment. I needed to pick up the last of my things. She hadn't texted me back. I assumed she was busy at work, or that she wasn't talking to me. Katherine Kavanagh loved to hold grudges.

It was rare for us to fight. The day of our argument, I had been tired and stressed. I wasn't angry at her, but I was angry at the situation. I would've snapped at anyone that day. I wanted to apologize to her and try to make a mends. I needed all the friends I could get right now.

I slip my key into the apartment door and open it up. The place is a mess. There are stacked pizza boxes sitting on the kitchen bench. There were multiple bottles of empty wine sitting by the trashcan. There was a stack of dirty dishes in the sink. The curtains and blinds were drawn over the windows. The apartment had a musky, dirty smell to it. It smelt like old food, alcohol, and cigarettes.

I placed my handbag on the side table by the door. I walked into the kitchen and began to clean up the mess. I threw the empty pizza boxes in the trash. There was a horrible odour in the kitchen. I opened the fridge and soon found out what that odour was. Her milk had gone bad. I emptied the carton down the drain and desperately tried to hold back the bile rising in my throat. I hated the smell of soured milk.

As I am pouring it down the drain, I hear a loud snore coming from the end of the hallway. I quickly put the carton of milk aside and hurry down the hall to the noise. I opened the door to Kate's bedroom and found her passed out on top of her bed. Not only was she fast asleep with a bottle of wine in the bed with her, she also had a lit cigarette sitting on the ash tray beside her.

"Shit!" I rush to her side "Shit. Shit. Shit"

I quickly put the cigarette out. She could've burnt down her apartment. She could've seriously harmed herself…Or killed herself. I look down to my slob of a best friend. Her blonde hair looked as if it hadn't been washed in days. Her skin was starting to breakout. She looked like shit. I sat down on the bed beside her and carefully removed the wine bottle from her hands. Under the bottle was a photo. It was a photo of her and Elliot on a beach somewhere tropical.

They did look happy.

After every break-up she would go on a bender. She would skip school. Party. Smoke things that she should not be smoking. It was normal for her to act this way, but I had a feeling that her breakup from Elliot was much harder for her. She honestly believed that he was going to marry her, and then to be broken up with…It must be horrible.

I don't know how I would handle breaking up with Christian. I would probably behave just like Kate.

I watch as she stirs in the bed. Slowly her green eyes open. She looks up at me and her eyebrows came together in a frown. "Ana?"

I smile and softly say "Hi"

Kate quickly sat up and looked around her bedroom. She was obviously confused. She scratched the back of her hair and then let out a long yawn. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to pick up my things. I also came to give you back your apartment key" I look to the ashtray filled with cigarettes "Since when do you smoke cigarettes? I thought you hated them?"

"I do" She says in a hoarse voice. "I have been a mess, Ana"

"I can see" I smile so that way she knows I am only teasing her.

"I am sorry. I am sorry about our stupid fight. I should've told you about Jose sooner. I should've been a better friend. I feel so horrible about it. I don't want to fight with you. I know I am confrontational, and dramatic, but you're the one person that I hate fighting with-"

"It is okay" I say gently "I am not angry at you. I was never really angry at you. You did what you thought was right-"

"Yeah, I did what I thought was right"

"And I don't blame you for it, Kate. You are not a bad friend. I was just angry that day. That's all. If it makes you feel any better, I also snapped at Christian"

She smiles and lets out a small chuckle "Yes that does make me feel a lot better"

She reaches for my hand and wraps her fingers in mine. I hold her hand tightly in mine. I feel better now that we have talked. I know that Kate can be a spoilt diva. She isn't the easiest person to get along with. Everything I lack, she makes up for. Everything she lacks, I make up for. We even each other out.

"Are we still sisters?" She asks me.

"Yes. Sisters fight all the time. We wouldn't be sisters if we didn't occasionally fight. Now, when was the last time you showered?"

"Do I smell?"

I nod my head "A little bit…"

I forced her into the bathroom to shower. She was starting to smell. She'd feel one-hundred-times better after showering and freshening up. While she did that, I began to clean up her apartment. I started with opening curtains and windows. The apartment was in desperate need of some fresh air. I also cleaned the stack of dishes in the sink. After I was done with that I threw out the garbage.

I could hear Kate in the bathroom blow-drying her hair. I had some time to spare before she was finished. I decided that it was time to call Christian.

After leaving Jose's home, as I was driving into the city, I really began to think about what I wanted in life. I knew with certainty that I couldn't take the job at SIP. I couldn't have Christian as my boss for the rest of my life. It may be stubborn of me, but I wanted to be proud of whatever I do next. I want to say that I accomplished something in life. I can't do that with a job that he brought for me. I am no longer angry at him for doing that. I understand that he thought he was helping. He only had good intentions. I hope that he can understand why I can't accept that position.

I am also no longer sure about London. I want to go there. I would love to spend time in that city and live there. I would take that job in a heartbeat if I didn't have Christian in my life. He is too important to me. He means more to me than a job does. But, I also don't want to be one of those girls who will give up everything for a man.

London was only an internship. When I think about where I want to be in ten years, it isn't working in London away from everyone I love. In ten years, I want to find the next big thing. I want to find a book that will explode onto the charts like Twilight did. I want to find a book that will leave a legacy behind, just like Harry Potter did. I want to be a Commissioning Editor for a company, but it can't be a company in which Christian will be my boss at.

Maybe I was being too ambitious. Maybe I was being too picky. Christian only had good intentions when buying _SIP_. He was only trying to help me. I should take a job at _SIP_.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and find Christian's number. I am shaking as I put the phone to my ear. I listen to it ring and ring. For a moment I am nervous that he won't answer. He was angry the other day, but I didn't think he was that angry.

Finally, I hear him pick up the phone.

"Ana…" He sounds breathless. That breathless voice reminded me of how he sounded after sex. The thought of post-sex Christian brought butterflies to my stomach.

"Hi, are you busy?"

"No" He says "I am in the middle of a workout but I am never too busy for you"

"A work out? It is the middle of the day. Aren't you meant to be in your office bossing your poor employees around?"

"I should be, but I need to get rid of some frustrations. Fuck, I have missed you, Ana. I have the worst case of blue balls right now"

I giggle "Oh, you are so romantic, Mr. Grey"

"I missed that giggle"

I have butterflies fluttering around wildly in my stomach. I can't wait to be with him again. I cant wait for his arms to be around me, his lips on my skin. I have only been away for two days, and yet I miss him. How the hell could I be away from him for three months?

"I was only away for two days"

"Two long…Horrible…Days" He tells me "I wasn't sure whether I should call you or wait. I knew you needed space to think things through. Have you thought things through? Have you made up your mind on what you want?"

I can feel eyes burning into me. I turn around to see Kate leaning against the door in a yellow maxi-dress. She had a smile on her lips as she watched me talk on the phone. I don't know how long she had been standing there for.

"I think so" I say quietly.

"Come over tonight?"

I knew that if I went to his hotel room, I would fall into his bed and we wouldn't discuss anything.

"Can we have dinner tomorrow night? Somewhere quiet with no press. I need to talk to you about something important and I don't want us to get distracted" I then lower my voice so Kate can't hear me "Then after dinner, I am all yours to do with as you wish"

"Okay, I'll make plans, Baby and text you the details"

"Thank you, Christian. I love you…"

"I love you, too"

I hang up the phone with a ridiculous smile on my face. I turn to face Kate who was smiling back at me. She looked better, and smelt better, after showering. She raised a single, neat eyebrow at me. I know she heard me say that I loved him. She didn't say anything more about it, though.

* * *

After packing up my belongings, I ended up staying with Kate for dinner. Even though she had lived off take out for the past few days, we ordered Chinese from a store just down the road. Kate wanted to open a bottle of wine, but I advised her against it. I didn't think it was a good idea for her to be drinking anymore alcohol.

We sat in her lounge room on cushions around the coffee table. She vented to me about how angry and upset she was with her break up. I listened and let her get it all out of her system. She obviously needed to talk to someone about it. Bottling up her feelings was never good. She liked to act as if she was fine, but it was only a matter of time before she'd have a classic Kate breakdown.

I tried to tell her that she would fall in love again and with a great guy, but that seemed to only upset her more. She really was in love with Elliot. How could he dump her so suddenly?

As well as talking about her break up, she wanted to grill me about my life. She wanted to know how I was coping with everything that has happened with Jose.

"I am coping" I shrug my shoulders. I didn't know what else to say about the situation. "I don't know if I will ever be able to be friends with him again. I came to a realization that as long as we are in each other's lives, we will never move forward. I'll always worry about him and stay by his side to make sure he is okay. He will always hide behind me and never face the truth. It sucks, but that is the way it is"

Kate groans in disgust "God, you are so mature. If I were you I would be a rampaging bitch"

"What would that accomplish? It would just make things harder" I take another bite of my Beef Chow Mein. "I finally filed divorce papers…"

"You did?" She seems shocked.

"Yep, I did it on Tuesday. I am hoping he can agree to my terms. I haven't asked for anything from him. I just want it over with. Trust me, Kate, never, ever, marry someone unless you know you will spend the rest of your life with them. Divorce is a pain in the ass and I have only just started the process"

"Can't you get an annulment?"

"I looked into it. I can request an annulment, but we would have to take it to court and a judge would have to assess if we were eligible for one. We were married for two years. We were in a relationship for four years before that. Even though he hid his sexuality, that isn't enough to say that our relationship was legally a fraud. A judge may not grant us an annulment and then we'd have to start the divorce process all over again. It is just quicker to get divorced"

Kate smirks "The quicker you get divorced, the quicker you can become Mrs. Christian Grey"

I smile and shake my head at her ridiculousness. "No…"

"What? Are you honestly telling me that if he dropped down on one knee right now, you wouldn't say yes?"

"I wouldn't!"

Kate throws a pillow my way and I quickly dodge it "Bullshit! You are so smitten with him. I heard you on the phone to him. I heard that little giggle. Your whole energy changes when he is around, Steele. You are crazy for him!"

"I am!" I throw the pillow back at her. I watch as she stands from the floor and walks into the kitchen. She begins to dish herself another plate of food. "I am also married. I am not saying I would never marry him, because one day I will happily be Mrs. Christian Grey. I need to be divorced before that can happen, though"

She returns to the lounge room and sits down opposite me. She suddenly let's out a groan of annoyance "Oh god, if you and Christian one day get married…That means I'll have to play nice to Elliot and whatever bimbo he brings to the wedding!"

I roll my eyes "I am not even engaged to the man, Kate. I am still married to someone else. It's going to be a while before Christian and I even consider marriage. Right now I am just trying to focus on my career"

"Have you heard back from any potential jobs?"

I explained to her the whole debacle regarding Seattle Independent Publishing and Michaelson Publishing. I explained how I was rejected from SIP, then I was accepted for an interview with MP, then I was offered the job of Commissioning Editor at SIP. She was adamant about me not leaving to London. She was horrified by the idea. I also explained that Christian now owned SIP and that he brought it in order to give me a job. She was angry on my behalf. She liked any excuse to be angry at Christian.

I also explained to her what I wanted to do next with my career. She was supportive. She also told me something that was happening in her career, something that she hadn't told anyone else yet.

"I am thinking of moving to LA"

"Los Angeles?"

She nods her head "Yeah. I haven't told anyone else, yet. There is an online website that is looking for a young Hollywood reporter. They want someone new and fresh. I would go to red-carpets. I would interview huge celebrities. This website gets thousands of hits hourly. My name would be out there, more than it ever would be here in Seattle doing boring reports for the local news"

"I am the bosses' daughter where I work. They give me all the shit jobs. I do at least one death-knock a week!"

"What is a death-knock?"

"It's when you go to someone's home, after a family member has been murdered, or killed themselves. You knock on their door and ask them questions about it. It is horrible! I hate doing it, but if I don't do it, another network will get the info and my job will be on the line!" She huffs "I am either doing a death-knock, or I am doing some stupid report on taxi-driver's going on strike because their threatened by Uber!"

"Reporting on the glamourous life of celebrities may not sound like real journalism, but it is better than doing death-knocks every week"

"It sounds perfect for you, Kate"

"I am in talks to get the job. I have been for the past few months. I wasn't sure if I would get it or not. I don't want to tell people about it, and then be rejected. I don't want to make a fool of myself"

Hollywood was perfect for Katherine Kavanagh. In ten years she would take the world by storm. She's be hosting her own talk shows, and interviewing the hottest celebrities around. She was perfect for TV. She was young, charismatic, funny, and beautiful.

The best thing she could do for herself is get out of Seattle and take Hollywood by storm.

I left Kate's apartment late that night. She insisted that I should stay with her, but I wanted to get my own hotel room. I secretly booked a suite in The Fairmont where Christian was currently living. Of course I didn't get a penthouse Suite, but I did get a nice room on the fifth floor.

I was in bed just past midnight and I fell asleep with a smile on my face. Finally I felt like my life was in order. For once, I had a plan to follow. I was free from the Hardware Store, and I was free from Jose. I had my whole life ahead of me.

I was free.

* * *

I walk down the isle of clothing. I was trying to ignore the ridiculous price tags on each garment. I could not believe how expensive some items were. If I was going out with anyone other than Christian Grey, I would go to Target and find a twenty dollar dress. I have a feeling Christian knows cheap when he sees it, though.

I have no idea where he is taking me tonight, and not knowing secretly excited me. He told me that he would pick me up from my hotel room at 8:00. He told me to dress in heels and a dress. I wasn't sure if that mean he wanted me in a formal dress, or a cocktail dress. I figured I couldn't go wrong if I wore a Little Black Dress. Of course, I don't have a LBD.

What kind of woman doesn't have a LBD?

I was pacing the floor of Neiman Marcus looking for a simple black dress. I didn't need anything with sequins or lace trimming. I just wanted something basic and simple. Every dress I pulled off the rack was too racy and looked more like lingerie, or was way too expensive. I am sorry, but I could never justify spending five-thousand-dollars on a dress.

As I am looking, I can hear a familiar, sophisticated, voice in the background. I can't figure out who the voice belongs to. I try to casually glance over my shoulder to see who it is. The moment I see that head of ugly, platinum, blonde hair standing at the counter…I feel sick to my stomach.

It is just my luck that Elena Lincoln shows up when I am shopping.

"You have got to be kidding me…"

Oops, I may have said that louder than intended

She heard my voice and stopped talking to the cashier. She shook her bob off her shoulder and turned her head to face me. Her eyes locked on mine and I saw the look of pure hatred in them. She appeared horrified to see me, which was hard for her to do given how much botox she had injected in her face. She quickly smoothed out her expression and smiled my way.

"Anastasia? Fancy seeing you here…"

She swayed her hips as she walked my way. I didn't want her anywhere near me. The woman had repulsed me before I even knew what she had done to Christian. He may not see something wrong with what she did to him…But I do. If a man in his forties seduced a fifteen year old girl, he would be named a sex offender for the rest of his life.

That is what this woman deserved.

"You know" She says in that condescending tone that she spoke to everyone in. She lowered her voice and took one more step towards me. She was barely a breath away. "I saw the pictures online of you with Christian. He is like a whole new man with you. It must feel nice to have him wrapped around your little finger. I just want you to know that it is only a matter of time before it all falls apart. It always does when it comes to Christian"

I step away from the woman "I don't care what you have to say, Elena"

I didn't care about what she said in the slightest. I don't lay awake in bed at night worrying about Elena Lincoln. She is nothing to me. I don't want to waste my time arguing with her over Christian. I know he loves me, not this woman.

As I go to step around her but she extends one long, tanned, leg to stop me. She is going to play this game again. She is going to tell me that Christian will never love me and that I am the wrong girl for him. She is going to hold me hostage in this small aisle until I listen to what she has to say.

She is such an immature, petty, woman.

"This is your last chance, Anastasia, to listen to me. I have played nice. I have been polite to you. You won't listen to me, though. So, this is your last chance to step away from Christian-"

"Or what!?" I throw my arms up "What can you possibly do, Elena? Why should I be so afraid of you?"

"I know Christian-"

"And I know what you did to him!"

That took her by surprise.

"I know everything, Elena" I step closer to her "You raped a fifteen year old boy. Christian might not see it that way, but I do, and so would everyone else. I am sure Christian wasn't your first, young, boy that you raped. You've probably had plenty in your time and I am sure you don't want the authorities looking into it. All it would take is one anonymous tip to have the FBI knocking on your door"

Elena's mouth was twitching with anger as I spoke.

"So, tell me why I should be afraid of you, because, the way that I see it, it is you who should be afraid of me" I quirk one of my eyebrows "I am listening, Elena. This is your chance to tell me why I need to be afraid of you"

She couldn't get a single word out. She was staring at me. Her whole body was shaking with anger. I was secretly proud of myself for standing up to her. She needed to know that I was not afraid of her. She was one of the only people in this world that I could say I hated.

I take a step around her. "Stay away from Christian. Stay away from his family. Stay away from me. I am done with playing nice, Elena. If I ever see you again, I will make sure the whole world knows what and who you truly are…A rapist"

I was the one to walk away. I didn't want to spend any more time talking to that vile woman. She made my blood boil. I don't think I have ever disliked or even hated someone as much as I do her. How could Christian still keep in touch with her? How could the Grey family be close to her? Christian would one day have to tell them what she did. I am sure if Carrick knew, he would never invite the women to a family dinner again.

After leaving Neiman Marcus, I walked across the mall to my favourite store, Forever 21. I knew I could buy a dress for half of the price there. After finding my perfect black dress, I went straight home to get ready for my dinner with Christian.

Hopefully, Elena listened to me and took my advice. I was serious about notifying authorities if she ever spoke to Christian or I. She couldn't get away with what she did. She gave Christian an unhealthy view on sex and relationships. She may have helped him with his anger, but she made him believe that BDSM was the only normal relationship he could have with a woman.

She abused a young, vulnerable boy who she knew needed help. In my mind, and I am sure many others, she was a monster. She deserved to have her reputation dragged through the mud.

I had a feeling that I would be seeing Elena Lincoln again.

* * *

7:58

"Shit!" I swear loudly as I stare at the number on my phone. I throw it back onto the bed and continue to struggle with the tiny zipper on the dress.

I have exactly two minutes before Christian is at my door and I don't even have my dress on yet. I know this man. He is punctual and does not like tardiness. I have no doubt that he will be knocking on the door at exactly eight O'clock.

I had been running on time until I made a mess of my makeup. I used new foundation that I brought with Kate and soon realized it was at least two shades darker than my skin tone. It wasn't until I had finished my makeup look and stepped out of the bathroom that I realized I looked like an Oompa Loompa. It took me almost an hour to remove my make-up and then do it again. I still had some orange patches on my neck that I hoped Christian would be oblivious to.

Now I couldn't reach the zipper on my dress. It was way too small and in a hard to reach place. I was straining with all my might, but I couldn't pull it up any further. I didn't have a back-up outfit ready for tonight, either. It didn't matter how hard I sucked in my stomach, or what position I put myself in, it was not doing up.

With a sigh of defeat I fell back onto the bed. There was nothing more I could do.

I reached for my phone and checked the time. I had one more minute before Christian arrived. I also saw that I had two messages. One was from Kate wishing me luck for tonight; the other was from my father.

I opened the message and quickly read it.

 _Hey Annie,_

 _I just dropped by Jose's. He told me that you've moved your stuff out. Where are you staying? Give me a call to let me know you're okay. If you don't have anywhere to stay, you can always come stay with Miranda and I._

 _Love, Dad_

Huh?

Miranda and I?

I didn't realize that my dad's girlfriend was living with him. My father hadn't said anything to me about it, and he usually told me everything about the women he was seeing. Maybe he had found love again? I hoped so…

I didn't want him to worry about me, but I knew I didn't have time to call him. I quickly began to type out another message.

 _I am okay, Dad. I am currently staying at The Fairmont while I work out some things. I will call you over the weekend to talk. P.S Thank you for the invite to stay with you and Miranda..._

I send the message to him with a smile on my face. I glance up at the time on my phone and see it is right on Eight O'clock. As if on cue, I hear him knocking at my door.

Christian is here.

I suddenly have butterflies in my stomach. I am excited to see him again. I quickly check my reflection in the mirror. I brush my fingers through my blown out hair. I try and rub away some of the orange patches on my neck. I pull the straps of my dress over my shoulders to try and look presentable. I take a deep, calming breath before I swing open my suite door.

He was standing there with a smile on his face. His copper hair was sleeked back without a single strand out of place. He was wearing black boots. Dark trousers. A button down grey shirt and the leather jacket he was wearing the night we met. He looked good in leather.

God, he is hot.

"Anastasia…Fuck, you are gorgeous" He takes a step forward to close the distance between us. His large hands cupped my jaw in his hand. He kissed me hard. I wasn't expecting it and almost stumbled back. His arm quickly wrapped around my waist and held me up. I was left breathless after that kiss.

He pulled back and gently pressed kisses to my jaw and neck. "I have missed you. I have missed you so fucking much. I didn't know when you were going to talk to me again. I fucked up by buying that stupid company, I am sorry, Ana. I just didn't know what else to do..."

"Hey" I say gently and pull away from him to look him in the eyes "Christian, we're okay. I am not going to leave you over something like that. I get that you were trying to help me when you brought SIP. Me staying at Jose's had very little to do with you. I just needed some time to think on my own"

"And did you think?"

I nod my head "Yeah, and there is a lot that I want to talk to you about…But that can wait until dinner" I take his hand and lead him into the suite. "I need help with my dress. I have been fighting with the zipper for the past half an hour. It just won't go up"

I hold my hair up off my neck. A moment later I feel his firm hand pressed against my back. The feeling of his skin against mine, it sent a warm shock through my body. I wanted nothing more than to climb into bed with him. I wanted him to make love to me. I wanted him to show me how much he loved me and that as long as we were okay, everything else would be as well.

Once the zipper had been pulled up and my dress was on properly, I felt his lips gently pressing themselves against my shoulder. His hands were moving along my thighs, and slowly up to my abdomen. His lips moved to my neck. He was no longer kissing me in a gentle, loving way…

"You look phenomenal" He whispered "You are so unbelievably beautiful. You take my breath away every time I see you. I wish you could see just how beautiful you are"

I smile "I feel it" I whisper back to him "I feel it whenever I am with you…"

Before his kisses and touches can become anything more, he pulls back. I let out a huff. I turn around in his arms to see that he has pulled something out of his back pocket. It is a long black, velvet box.

"I brought this for you, for tonight. I realized that I have never really brought you jewellery. I have always had my stylist's pick out things for you. Tonight is going to be our first real date as a couple and I wanted to get you something special"

He opens the lid of the velvet box and my jaw almost hits the floor. Inside was a pair of beautiful, silver, diamond, earrings. They were in the shape of a teardrop. They were very simple, yet still elegant. They were gorgeous.

"Oh my god…" I whisper. My eyes dart up to Christian who was staring back at me "They are beautiful, Thank you"

"I want you to wear them tonight"

"Of course" I smile and gently take them from the box. I was very careful when putting them on. Once they were in, I brushed my hair aside to examine them in my ear. I did not want to know how much they cost Christian. I would be mortified if I knew. I instead jumped up onto my tippy toes and kissed him again. "Thank you"

We left the suite hand-in-hand. Christian guided me down to the parking garage where his Audi was. I was happy that he wasn't bringing security tonight. I wanted some time alone with him. I had no idea where he was taking me, and I honestly didn't care. I'd be happy eating at a McDonald's.

One thing I noticed was that he wasn't my Christian tonight.

My Christian was affectionate, playful, warm, and loving. This Christian was…Distant. He looked worried about something. He drove with one hand on the steering wheel; the other was resting against his chin. He looked deep in thought, which worried me. There was something worrying him tonight and I had no idea what it could be.

Was he going to break up with me?

Why would he break up with me after buying me what looked like expensive earrings? Maybe he brought them for me to weaken the blow when he broke up with me. Maybe they were a pity gift. Maybe time away from me made him realize how much he missed BDSM. Maybe he had found a new Sub. Maybe Elena Lincoln was right about Christian never being happy with me-

"Ana?"

I snap back to reality and turn my attention to Christian. He was at a stoplight. He had a small smirk on his lips as he looked at me "Why are there orange patches all over your neck?"

I blush and quickly try to wipe them away "I was hoping you wouldn't notice that. I messed up my foundation and had to re-do it. Apparently, I missed a few spots"

He smiles and shakes his head. He mutters something under his breath before pulling into the traffic lights.

Maybe I am over-thinking his distant mood. Maybe he had a long day at work. Maybe he is worried about something at work. I can't let myself fear the worst. I am sure there is an explanation for his strange mood.

* * *

The place he brought me to was fancier than any place I'd ever been to before. It was an Italian family owned restaurant right on the water. There was dim lighting which gave the restaurant a very romantic mood. There was beautiful artwork hanging from the exposed brick walls. There was classical music softly playing over the speaker. The restaurant was busy as well. There were many couples and groups sitting at the tables. No children, though.

While waiting for the host to lead us to our table, I looked at the menu. I was shocked by the prices listed. Christian saw my shocked reaction and just smiled. He leaned in and whispered to me.

"This Restaurant is one of the best in Seattle. Their food is worth the price"

I shake my head "I could've made you spaghetti and it sure as hell wouldn't cost you one-hundred-dollars!"

The older host stepped forward. He was a distinguished looking gentleman "Mr. and Mrs. White, is it?"

I almost said no, but Christian quickly interrupted me.

"Yes" Christian nods.

"Right this way"

We were led through the dining room to our own private area on the deck. We had the most amazing views of the water, and we also had privacy. It looked as if they had prepared this table especially for us. We sat at a round table with a white cloth over it. We had a candle between us. It was all very romantic.

Christian ordered an Italian wine that I wasn't even going to try to pronounce. It was only a few moments later that it was served to us. The staff here really wanted to impress Mr. White.

Our meals were delicious. I understood what he meant when he said the food was worth the money. It was easily the best spaghetti that I had ever had. The wine was also delicious, but I was limiting myself to only one glass. I knew what wine did to me.

Even as we ate dinner, I could see that Christian was still acting strangely. We talked about Kate and Elliot. I told him how much of a mess Kate had been since the breakup. He told me that Elliot had been acting the same way, but he doubted that the two would get back together.

There was something else that I wanted to talk to him about.

"I filed for divorce on Tuesday"

He was surprised to hear that. He took a moment to process what I just said. Slowly, a smile spread on his face "You did?"

I smile and nod my head eagerly "Yep. I figured I needed to stop talking about it and actually do it. I moved out all my things from the house. All I need is for him to sign the papers and then he will be out of my life for good. I don't want his house or the store"

"Good" Christian smiles and reaches across the table to grasp my hand "I have one of the best legal teams in the country, Baby. I'll make sure that he signs the papers. I want him out of our lives"

"I want him out of our lives as well, but I don't want you to fight this battle for me. I got myself into this mess; I should be the one to get myself out. I don't want anything from Jose. I seriously doubt he wants anything from me. This should be quick and easy"

He isn't happy about that. I know he wants Jose out of our lives as soon as possible and he'd probably do anything to make that happen. It was no secret how he felt about the man. Once my divorce was over, Christian and I could move forward. I would no longer be his mystery brunette. I would be his girlfriend, his partner, maybe even his wife…

"There is something else I want to talk to you about…" I nervously say as I run my thumb over his knuckles. I wasn't sure why I was so nervous to talk to him about this. I look up into his grey eyes and take a breath before speaking again "I think I have made a decision on my career"

He solemnly nods his head. He knew that this was coming. "What have you decided, Baby?"

"Well…" I bite my lip "Over the past two days, I realized how much I have missed you. You were constantly on my mind and in my thoughts. All I wanted to do was call you and hear your voice. I was only gone for two days and I missed you that much. I don't think I could go three months away from you. I don't think I can accept the job with _MP_ -"

"Ana…"

"Just let me finish" I continue "I think I might apply for an assistant job with SIP instead. I will work there until an internship at another company arises"

A small frown forms on Christian's forehead "So, you don't want the job in London?"

"I...I guess not"

"You don't sound too sure about that"

"I want the job, but I don't want to leave you!" I explain to him "London is an internship. I may not even get a job after the internship. If I do get a job, then I would have to move there permanently. If I get the internship, then I would have to move there within the next month. I would have to find somewhere to live and organize a work visa. I still have to finalize my divorce from Jose. I think the job will be too much of a hassle"

Christian doesn't look as happy as I thought he'd be at hearing the news. I thought he'd be jumping for joy at the news of me staying. He doesn't look happy. He looked confused if anything. Why is he confused? I thought he wanted me to stay.

"Anastasia" He braces forward in his seat "When you first told me about London, you were so excited and happy. I saw the way you lit up when you were talking about it-"

"I liked the idea of moving to London, but in practice, it would be so much work. It would be so much easier for me to stay in Seattle"

"So, let me get this straight…" Christian thinks for a moment "You want to work at _SIP_ because it is the easier option?"

"I guess so…"

"Ana" Christian sighs and reaches across the table to grasp my hands in his "You're second guessing it because you're scared of how I will react. I know I made a mistake by buying _SIP_. I just…I know how talented you are. I have told you before that you deserve so much bigger than what you currently have. Jose was holding you down and preventing you from moving forward. I don't want to be like him"

"You're not like him"

"I want you to go to London"

I can't believe what I am hearing. I don't understand this man. He didn't want me to go. He wanted me to stay and take the job at SIP. He threw a tantrum when I told him I wanted to go to London. Now he wants me to leave. I don't understand what changed.

Christian stands and moves his chair around the table to sit beside me. He held my hands on my lap and leaned in close to me. His grey eyes were staring into mine.

"I know you want this job. I know you want the experience of working at a company like _MP_. I know you want to experience life outside of America" He tells me sincerely "I also know that if you don't go, one day you will wake up and resent me for holding you back-"

I shake my head "I wouldn't-"

"Yes, you would" He smiles and nods his head "I want you to succeed, Baby. I know that you can achieve something amazing, and you won't do that at a company like _Rodriguez Hardware_ or _Seattle Independent Publishing_ "

"You think I should go?"

He slowly nods his head "Yeah, I do" I can see it is hard for him to tell me that "This isn't about what I want, this is about you. I see myself marrying you one day, Ana. I see myself having a family with you. I see myself spending the next seventy years with you. Yes, three months separated from you will be horrible…But it is only three months. It is not like it is three years"

"But, I don't want this to become between our relationship…"

"I don't want that to happen either" He shakes his head "But can you honestly tell me that you don't want the job?"

I do want the job, but I don't want to hurt Christian by moving away from him. It would be easier to take a job here in Seattle. Being away for three months would put so much strain onto our relationship.

"But, what if after the internship I get a job?" I ask him "Then I would have to move there permanently. You can't pick up and move _Grey House_ across the sea. How would our relationship survive that?"

"I don't know" He says quietly "But we can work it out when we get there. If what you really want is an assistant job at SIP, then I will support you. I don't want you to settle, though. I don't want you to decline a job because of me. That doesn't make me any better than Jose"

I have told myself that taking the job in London would be too much work and that it wasn't worth it. I told myself that because I didn't want to hurt Christian. He had been the one to inspire me to want better in my life. If he is willing to do whatever it takes to make our relationship work, then maybe moving to London wouldn't be so hard.

"Are you really okay with me leaving?"

He laughs and nods his head "Yes! And you still have time to decide on what you want to do. You don't have to decide right this minute"

"I have to get the job first"

Christian presses his lips to my temple in a gentle kiss "I have no doubt you will get the job, Baby"

He really did believe in me…

* * *

The rest of our dinner went smoothly. We discussed what would happen if I did get the job with _MP_. Christian had companies based in the UK. He made trips to England every year. Of course he wouldn't be able to spend every single day with me, but he could spend at least a week a month in London. He also had an apartment in the heart of the city.

After having an amazing dessert that I forced Christian to eat, we left the restaurant. I was excited to get back to his place and spend some time alone with him. I was in desperate need of his kiss and his touch. It feels like an eternity ago that we were last together. In reality it was only four days.

For someone who once said they weren't sexual, I sure loved sex.

On the car ride home, he went back to being quiet. He wasn't saying much and his eyes were focused on the traffic ahead of us. Every now and then he would bring my hand to his lips and plant a gentle kiss there. There was something worrying him and I wanted to know what.

As we were driving, I could see _The Fairmont_ up ahead. Instead of stopping and pulling into the underground parking, Christian continued to drive past it.

"You just drove past the Hotel. Aren't we going back to your place?" I run my fingers along the inside of his thigh and smile up at him "I already told you that you have full reign to do whatever dirty things you want to me"

He didn't react to that. There was definitely something wrong.

"Christian?"

"I want to take you somewhere"

"Okay, where?"

"To my apartment"

"The one that is being renovated?"

He nods his head "Yes" His grey eyes glance my way "There is something you need to know…"

* * *

 **So, a lot happened in this chapter. It was my longest one yet!**

 **Because it is school holidays here in Australia, I am _extremely_ busy taking care of my niece's and nephew. I probably wont be able to upload again for another two weeks. Plus, the next chapter is going to be emotional and I want to take my time to get it right.**

 **Anyway, thank you for reading! Review and let me know what you think is going to happen next :)**


	20. Chapter 20

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **Thankyou for your patience over the past two weeks. I wanted to make sure I got this chapter right. I wrote it countless times before I was happy with it!**

 **Now on with the story,**

* * *

Chapter 20

To say I was worried would be an understatement.

Christian was silent and I could feel the tension vibrating off him. For whatever reason, he was scared and nervous to take me to his apartment. I had no idea why we were even going to his apartment. I could tell from his dark mood that we weren't going there to have fun. Something was seriously wrong. My mind was going crazy with theories on what it could possibly be.

After our dinner, I thought things were better between us. We had a _sort-of_ plan in place. I would leave for three months and he would visit in that time. We wouldn't put our relationship on hold because of it. Me being _4,781_ miles away from Christian could only come between us if we let it. He owns a jet, we both own phones. It is not like we have to send letters by owl to communicate to each other.

I think we can make this work.

I glance across the car to where Christian sat. I wanted to ask him why he was taking me to his apartment, but I wasn't sure that I would get an answer. I was scared of what I would face once we arrived at his place.

I clear my throat and nervously speak up "Are we staying the night there?"

"No"

"We're just visiting?"

He nods his head and says nothing more.

I am sure that nothing is wrong. Maybe he needs to pick something up from his apartment? Maybe he wants to show me where he once lived? Oh God…What if he wants to show me his Playroom? What if he wants me to be his submissive tonight?

Could I do that?

If he really needed that from me, I would do it. I understand that he likes to feel in control, and being a Dom made him feel that way. He liked to feel as if he were powerful and that everything was going according to his plan. He was a control freak. If he needed control and order in his life again, I would much rather he take me into his Playroom than a Sub.

"Ana" His voice breaks me out of my worried trance "Would you please stop over-thinking things?"

"I am not!"

He huffs because he knows I am lying. "I need to talk with you about some things. Before you go to London I want you to know something about me…"

What else is there to know about him?

Oh God, is this about his mother?

He never talks about her. What I knew about her was that she died from an aneurism in her sleep while she was receiving treatment for a brain tumour. Kate believed that something wasn't right in that story, and I believed that as well. Christian was so _jumpy_ when it came to talking about his mother. He hated it whenever I brought up the subject. His family had been alienated after his mother's death. There had to be more to the story than just her suffering an aneurism.

We drove for what felt like an eternity, but when I looked at the clock I saw it had only been two minutes. Christian pulled into an underground parking lot for an apartment complex called _Escala_. I had heard of the building before. It was a relatively new building, and also one of the most expensive high rises in Seattle. It wasn't that surprising to think that he lived here.

He pulled into the private parking area. There were numerous other cars that I couldn't name parked there. I recognized one as a Rolls Royce. Christian turned off the engine. We sat in the dark and in silence for a moment before Christian opened his car door and stepped out.

The ride up the elevator to the penthouse floor had been agonizingly slow. I could feel Christian's hand on my lower back, slowly it was moving in gentle, soothing, circles. I heard him let out a deep breath as we rode the elevator in silence.

Once the silver doors finally opened, they revealed his penthouse. "Wow" I whispered as I stepped off the elevator, Christian was close behind. I was in awe as I took in the sheer size of his home. Given his wealth, I assumed that his apartment would be luxurious. It was. It was luxurious, and it was beautiful. Even though there were white sheets covering all of the furniture and floors, the walls were bare, and the place smelt like paint.

"Do you want something to drink?" He asked me.

I shake my head "No, Thank you"

I felt a shiver run through my body. Because of how bare his apartment was, it was freezing cold inside. I hugged my bare arms against my chest to warm myself. Christian noticed and quickly removed his jacket. He placed it over my shoulders. He walked over to a board on the wall. He pressed a few buttons and a moment later the apartment was lit up.

"This is where you lived?" I asked as I ventured further inside. I passed the white curved staircase and entered his living area. There were giant floor-to-ceiling windows against the wall that looked out to the city. I glanced back to Christian "It is so big for just one person. Weren't you ever lonely?"

He shrugs "I was busy. I never had time to be lonely"

I sit down on one of the lounges in his living area. It was covered with a sheet. I patted the spot beside me on the lounge He walked towards me and sat down. He was still keeping his distance.

"So" I say as I make myself comfortable "Why did you want to bring me here?"

He takes a deep breath "Numerous reasons"

"Give me one"

"I wanted to show you where I once lived. I wanted to show you Escala before I sell it. I have interest in the apartment from a Japanese business man. I have worked with him in the past and he was in the market for a place in Seattle"

He is still holding back from me, I could see it in his eyes.

"I want to get this place off my hands. I want to move forward in my life. I want to move forward with you, but how can I do that when I have this place still weighing me down. There are so many horrible memories here, Ana. When I lived here, I was a horrible man. You would never have loved me back then"

"I know you don't believe it, Christian, but you are a loving man"

"Now that I have you in my life I am. Back then I was callous. I didn't care about anyone but myself. A woman to me was either a Sub or nothing. I had no respect for anyone. I pushed and shoved everyone out of my life in order to be alone. I didn't want to be bothered by family. I didn't want to have friends. I certainly didn't want a girlfriend"

He runs a shaking hand through his copper hair. I realize then how truly upset he is. I quickly sit up and close the gap between us. I wrap my arms around his shoulders. I have never seen him like this before.

"I pushed away my mother" He said in a shaky voice "All she ever wanted to do was love me and help me. I didn't want her love. I didn't want anyone's love. She died without me ever telling her how much I love her and appreciate her"

"I am sure she felt it…" I whisper to him.

"No" He shakes his head "I never hugged her. I never allowed her to touch me. I would avoid her calls. I would see her only days that I had to. I was a horrible son, yet, she still loved me. It is all my fault that she is gone. It is my fault that Mia is a fucking alcoholic. It is my fault that my father lost the love of his life. It is my fault, Ana. My mother is dead because of… _Me_ "

Christian stood from the lounge. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper which he handed to me. I unfolded it to reveal what it was. "I need you to sign it" He tells me "There are things I need to tell you, and I can't do it until you sign that piece of paper"

It was a single sheet of paper with what appeared to be a contract on it. I quickly read over it. There were a lot of legal terms that I didn't understand. I glanced back up at Christian "What is this?"

"It is a Non-Disclosure-Agreement. Basically, what I tell you has to remain between us and if you were to ever disclose what I am going to tell you to anyone else, there would be serious legal ramifications"

"Christian, whatever you tell me, I would never go and talk to the press about it"

He nods "I know. I trust you, Ana, but I need you to sign this for me. If this information was ever released to the public, it would ruin my father. He could end up in prison for what we did"

 _What we did?_

I knew that I would never speak to the press about Christian. He was a man who valued his privacy. He was also a very high-profile and wealthy man. So, I had no objections signing the NDA. Luckily I had a pen stored in my purse. I signed the NDA on the dotted line and handed the folded piece of paper back to Christian.

Once it was neatly tucked away in his back pocket, he held his hands out to me and I took them. I stood from the lounge and followed his lead towards the curved flight of stairs. I could feel how sweaty his hands were. He was holding onto mine so tightly that it was beginning to hurt. I didn't say anything, though.

"I want to show you something" He told me.

He led me upstairs and down a bare hallway. There was a white sheet covering the wooden floors. The walls smelt as if they had been newly painted. They were a dark grey. It was hard to imagine Christian living here. No matter what he says, he must've been lonely.

He stopped outside of one of the many white doors in the hallway. He took a breath before opening it. I was expecting something to be behind the door. I was expecting something much grander and crazier…Than a blank room.

The walls were a crisp, egg-shell white. The floors were a dark hardwood. There was a single floor-to-ceiling window in the room. There was zero furniture. My heels echoed against the floor. There was an attached walk-in-wardrobe. There was nothing special about it. It looked like a basic, normal, bare, room.

 _Why would he want to show me this?_

Then I remembered that he had once told me about his playroom in his apartment. I turned around to face him standing in the doorway "Is this…Is this your playroom?"

He nods his head.

"Oh" I wasn't sure how I felt about being in the room that he had fucked other woman in. "It is umm…Different then how I imagined it would be. I thought it would look like some kind of dark, gloomy, dungeon"

"It did" He explains "I had a bed against that wall. The walls were painted red. The window was covered and completely blacked out. I had whips and paddles against that wall. I had a trunk of toys against that wall. That wardrobe was also full of toys and other items that I would use"

Yes, this definitely made me uncomfortable. I glance around the bare room and can't believe the kinky things that once went on in here. The room looked so… _Normal_ now. You wouldn't believe it if someone told you that it had once been a BDSM playroom.

"I had it dismantled about a month ago. I was already renovating my apartment, but I wanted to keep my playroom on the off chance that I found a Sub that I liked. I found you instead. Once I knew that I had feelings for you and that you would never be my Sub, I had the playroom removed"

"Do you regret it?"

Christian steps closer and wraps a hand into the back of my hair. He tips my head back so that way I am looking into his eyes "Never" He whispers "I am done with that life. I never want to go back to it. It was like living in the dark for years with no way to escape. I lied when I said I was never lonely. I was lonely every day, I was miserable every day. The only thing I knew was darkness. I didn't know how much better things could be. I never want to go back to that"

I see that worried look return to his face. I had been seeing it all night. "Christian, you are really worrying me. Talk to me. Please, don't hold back and shut me out"

"There is something you need to know" He says quietly "But I am scared to tell you. I am scared of what you'll think of me…And my family. I am scared that if I tell you, I am going to lose you. If I don't tell you, it'll only push you further away from me and put you in danger"

I try to smile and reassure him "I am tougher than you think I am. It's going to take a lot to make me runaway"

"Ana, this is so much bigger than just my past lifestyle. It is about my mother, and what I did to her. It is my fault she is dead, Ana. She didn't have to die that day, I could've helped her, I could've done something…"

"Christian. Talk to me"

His grey eyes returned to mine. He studied my face for a moment – He was looking for any sign of hesitation – before quietly saying "Okay".

With my hand tightly in his, he led me downstairs again. He pulled the white sheet of his black, plush, L-shaped lounge and sat down with me. Truthfully, I was scared of whatever he needed to tell me. I had no idea of what to expect.

"It…" He begins "It all started with a woman named Leila Williams…"

* * *

* **FLASHBACK***

Christian Grey stared at the watch on his wrist. He had given Leila specific directions to be at his apartment by seven. He had called her on his flight home from Singapore. It was a Wednesday night, but he was in desperate need of some relief. His past week in Singapore had been exhausting. He had been interested in buying a shipping yard, but the deal fell through at the last minute.

He had texted Leila on the flight home and she had agreed to meet him. They usually spent the weekend together but Christian was not willing to wait until Friday. All he needed was an hour in his playroom and then he would feel better.

It was eleven past seven and there was still no sign of Leila. She knew the rules; she knew she couldn't be late to their meetings. Lately she had been breaking more and more of Christian's rules. She was no longer respecting Christian as her Dom, she was beginning to treat him as a… _Friend_. Just a few months ago she had broken one of Christian's major rules. She had shown up to his mother's charity party. The minute Christian saw her there he had security remove her. He was furious. He tied her up and punished her for what had to be hours. She kept begging for more. She wanted to be punished. There was nothing she wasn't willing to do.

Christian should've terminated her contract that night, but he didn't. He had never had a Sub that was willing to do half the shit that she was. It excited him.

Lately she had been saying things that made Christian cautious. This wasn't the first time that she had shown up late to something. It wasn't the first time she had disobeyed a rule. After this weekend he would call Elena and ask her to find him a new Sub.

Maybe he was getting too old for this shit? He was twenty-nine and he had been doing this since he was fifteen. It wasn't surprising that he'd be bored of BDSM after doing it for so many years. Then again, the thought of having a normal relationship bored him even more. He didn't know what to do.

Just as he is about to give up on Leila, he hears the elevator doors opening. Leila stepped out in her beige over-coat. She would wear nothing underneath it. Her dark brown hair was pulled into a tight braid with not a strand loose. She wore very minimal makeup over her freckly face. She walked in with a smile on her face and a white box in her hands. Christian recognized the label on the box immediately; it belonged to the bakery just a block away from Christian's home.

"What is that!?" He demanded as he inspected the white box.

Leila stops in her tracks. Her blue eyes looked to the floor as she bowed her head in shame. "I…I felt like cupcakes and…And I knew that you would be grumpy after your trip so I wanted to cheer you up"

Christian was already having a bad day, but this tipped him over the edge. He stormed towards her and forcibly grabbed the box from her hands. He walked to the trash can in his kitchen and dropped it inside. "You're twenty minutes late because you brought me fucking cakes. Do you think that I am some sort of child who would be thrilled at the sight of sugar?"

She shakes her head "No! I just wanted to make you happy…"

"You are not my girlfriend. You are not my wife. You are not my friend. You are not my lover. You are not my family. You are nothing to me but a Sub-"

"You don't mean that…" She whispered.

Christian stepped closer and tipped her head back to force her to look into his eyes. He could see the girl was upset, but he didn't care. He needed her to understand that she was nothing to him. "You mean nothing to me, Leila. I can find another Sub by tonight"

She clenches her eyes shut and furiously shakes her head. "No"

He let go off her and watched as her shoulders began to shake. A quiet sob came from her. She was actually crying right now. Not only was she late, not only had she brought him cupcakes, but she was also crying right in front of him. She didn't understand her boundaries as a Sub. She can't buy her Dom gifts or show up late when he asks to see her. If he wanted a disobedient Submissive, then he would have one.

"Go Home" He shakes his head and begins to walk away from her. He wasn't going to comfort her while she cried. He hated crying. It made him uncomfortable. "I am going to terminate our contract. You're not a good fit for me, Leila-"

"No!" She quickly says. "You can't do that. Please, don't do that to me. I need this just as much as you do. I am a good Sub. Please, Master…"

He hated begging just as much as he hated emotion.

He turned his back on her and continued to walk away "Goodbye, Ms. Williams. If you do not leave I will have Taylor escort you out"

As he walked down the hall, he heard something to drop to the floor. He stopped in his tracks and glanced over his shoulder to check if she was gone. She wasn't. She was knelt on the ground in the submissive position. Her hands were on her bent knees with her palm's facing upwards towards the ceiling. Her head was bowed and looking at the wooden floor. Her coat was beside her.

She was submitting herself to him.

He stormed towards her and picked up her beige coat off the floor. He handed it to her but she wasn't looking at him. Her eyes were focused on the floor. He let out an aggravated sigh "I am sure you don't want to be escorted from my apartment with no clothes on, Ms. Williams"

She remained silent.

She wasn't going to speak until Christian gave her permission to do so. "Answer me, Leila. Do you want to leave willingly or do you want Taylor to escort you?"

"No, Master"

She knew exactly what she was doing to Christian, and he was a fool for playing into it. He should walk away from her and let her stay there all night. She'd have to leave eventually. He couldn't do it. He couldn't walk away because there was some small part of him that was attracted to her. No matter how unstable she was, he still wanted her in his playroom.

"You broke a lot of rules tonight, Leila. I am not happy"

"I am sorry, Master"

"You need to be punished"

"Yes, Master"

He should call Taylor right now and send Leila home. That would be the right thing to do…But Christian wasn't known for always doing the right thing.

"Hurry up, go upstairs. I want you in position and waiting for me"

"Yes, Master"

 _What the fuck is he doing?_

He knows it is not a good idea to continue his relationship with her. He knows that she is becoming too attached to him. After tonight he will end their contract and call Elena. He couldn't keep thinking with his dick. He needed to start thinking with his brain again.

He joined Leila in his playroom. He changed out of his suit that he had spent the day traveling in, and into the loose jeans that he wore whenever in the playroom. As he was getting changed, he heard his phone start vibrating. He checked it to make sure that it wasn't work. It wasn't. It was his mother calling. He declined the call and put his phone away.

He made a mental note to call his mother tomorrow.

He entered the room without glancing Leila's way. She was knelt on the ground in position. He walked around the room and began to prepare it. He was working out whether he wanted to use suspension on Leila, the bench, the swing, or maybe the cross. He hadn't used the cross in sometime…

He went to his wall of whips and canes. He took his time with choosing his desired whip. He then took his time to find the right blindfold for tonight. He wanted to make Leila wait. The girl had very little patience and self-control, it was something Christian had been teaching her. She was a horrible Sub and the only reason Christian had kept her for this long was because of her willingness to please him.

He stepped behind the girl and tied the blindfold tightly over her eyes. He would gag her and bind her later. Right now he just wanted to tease her. He wanted to put her self-control to the test. He teased the tails of the whip along her pale skin.

He was aware of the scars on her back, biceps and legs. From what he knew of her she had spent the majority of her childhood in the foster system. Elena found her waitressing at a BDSM party when she was nineteen. She trained her and showed her how beneficial the BDSM lifestyle could be to a person. When Leila was twenty-one Elena introduced her to Christian and she became his Sub.

Even though her skin was scarred in places, touch was never a hard limit for her like it was for Christian.

He continued to tease the tails of the whip along her skin.

"If you make a sound, I will gag you and leave you here while I work. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master"

"Keep your hands on your knees. I don't want you to move them. Understood?"

"Yes, Master

"What is your safe word?"

"Green"

"Good girl"

He extended his hand back and the whip cracked on her skin. She jumped at the contact but didn't say a word. He waited before going again, and again. He felt more and more relieved with every flick of his wrist. She didn't say or mutter a word. She obeyed him by remaining silent. He extended his hand one more time to inflict another hard whip. As he rose his arm, he heard the door behind him open-

" _Christian_!" A familiar voice screeched.

He quickly spun around to see the one person he never _ever_ wanted to see in his playroom.

His mother.

The whip dropped from his hand as his mother stared at him. Her eyes went from Christian, to Leila, and then back to Christian. She was horrified by the scene before her. Christian didn't know what to do or say in the moment. He stared into the once gentle, loving, kind eyes of his mother and saw the fury in them.

Her once glowing and tanned skin was as pale as a ghost. She looked as if she were about to be sick. Her hand was furiously shaking. Her knuckles on her hand had turned white from clutching the door. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out.

"Mum…" Her eyes went to the whip on the ground. Christian then understood how bad this must look to his mother. "It is not what it looks like…I…"

Her eyes looked around the dark, red, Playroom. She looked at all the paddles, whips, and chains on the wall. She looked at the numerous pieces of furniture specifically made to bind and fuck people with. She saw the bright red marks burned onto Leila's back from Christian's whip. She also saw her scars that marked her shoulders. She was horrified by it all.

She reached into her Gucci handbag and pulled out her cell phone. She turned her back on Christian and quickly removed herself from the room. Christian couldn't let her walk away. He quickly chased after her. "Mother! Mum! Please, let me explain-"

Grace spun on her heel "I don't want to hear a word from you, Christian Grey. I am calling the police!"

His own mother was looking at him as if he were a monster. As if she hadn't raised him and loved him since he was four. He had done a lot of fucked up shit in his teenage years, like minor shop-lifting crimes, getting into fights, drinking, even occasionally smoking drugs in the house with his brother. He had done things that his mother disapproved of, but at the end of the day she always forgave him and loved him.

She wouldn't forgive this.

He reached for his mother but she quickly stepped away from him. "Please let me explain" He pleaded "She…Her and I…It is consensual…I...She is here on her own free will…Please let me explain everything to you-"

"Enough!" She snapped at Christian "I am calling the police"

"No!" Leila appeared by Christian's side.

Grace reached for her, pulling her wrists into her hands to examine Leila. She had scars and marks on her wrists from her time before Christian. "You're hurt" Grace says "Let me take you to the hospital. I can help you. Let me take you home-"

"I don't need help!" Leila tried to pull away.

Grace wasn't listening, though. She continued to hold onto Leila, even when she was pushing away. "I am not letting you stay here to be hurt. You need to come with me. I can take you to safety. You don't need to be afraid of my son. You need help!"

"I love him" Leila continued to push "I am not letting you take him away from me!"

Grace looked to Christian, for a moment he thought he saw realization cross her face. She wasn't looking at him as if he were a monster anymore. Maybe she would let him explain himself? Maybe she could understand Christian's lifestyle.

That moment passed in a flash.

Christian watched with horror as Leila forcibly freed her arms from Grace's hold. He watched as his mother lost her balance. "Mum! No!" He reached for her, but it was already too late.

 ***END OF FLASHBACK***

* * *

I stared at Christian as he spoke. I took in every word he told me. It was heartbreaking to see him be so raw and vulnerable. I understood how hard it was for him to open up to me. This wasn't an easy thing for him to tell me. Just relieving the past was breaking him apart.

I didn't interrupt him while he spoke. I just listened as he told me about Leila and his mother.

He stared down at his hands; he was playing with his fingers and avoiding my eye contact. _Was he embarrassed? Ashamed? Did he think I would push him away? Did he think I wouldn't understand?_

I have been with this man for only a month, but I know that he is not a cold-hearted killer. The way that he spoke of Grace, I knew he loved her. I knew he missed her. He wasn't a monster. He wasn't a man I should fear. He was actually one of the most loving people I had ever met…Even if he didn't think so.

No matter what, I loved him. I would be with him.

"Everything happened so quickly" He whispered to me "I don't know if Leila pushed or if she pulled away from my mother. All I know is that one minute my mum was there, then the next she and Leila were both falling down the stairs. I tried to grab her. I tried to stop her from falling, but it was too late"

I wrap my arm around his shoulders to try and comfort him.

"Grace must've reached for Leila for balance. They both fell down the stairs. I couldn't save either of them. All I could do was just stand there and watch"

"What happened to Leila?" I asked.

I understood that Grace died from the fall, but I had no idea what happened to Leila. I had no idea if she was alive or dead, this was the first time that Christian was talking about her. It worried me to think that Leila was out there. She sounded as if she were obsessed with Christian.

As I bring up Leila, I can see Christian's jaw lock. His whole body becomes tense. "My mother cushioned her fall" He says bitterly. He huffs "I don't get it. I don't understand how any God – if there is one – could let my mother die, but keep that psychotic bitch alive. How can that happen?"

"I don't know…"

"She didn't deserve to die. If only she avoided my apartment…Or avoided me – she would still be here. If I had sent Leila home that night – my mother would be. If I had terminated my contract with Leila the moment I started seeing red-flags – my mother would be alive. If I had locked my _fucking_ Playroom door – she would be here"

"You can't think that way" I whisper to him. I gently rest my head on his shoulder and look into his grey eyes. "You'll drive yourself insane if you let yourself think that way. This isn't your fault, Christian-" He huffs "-I am serious. I remember after Jose Sr. died I was so confused. I didn't understand how someone could be here one day, yet gone the next. I had never experienced death like that before. I started to think of things that I could have done differently. I started to think about Jose and what would have happened if he had been in the car that night-"

"His death was an accident" Christian says "Leila Williams wanted my Mum dead. She wanted to shut her up and make sure she never spoke about what she saw"

He takes a breath before continuing with his story "During the fall Leila was knocked unconscious. I honestly thought she was dead, and I didn't care. I tried to do CPR on my mother. I was trying for – I don't even know how long – before Taylor found me. I don't remember much after that. Everything is just a blur. Taylor must've called my family and told them something happened. They arrived not long after. That was the first time I ever saw my father cry. I thought he was going to push me away and shut me out of the family after what I did. I expected him to. I wanted him to. After taking away the love of his life, I don't deserve his love"

I wanted to tell Christian that what happened to his mother was not his fault. It was a horrible accident. I knew that he wouldn't hear me. His hurt and grief was still too raw.

"Taylor was the one to explain to my family what happened. He told them that Leila was my Sub. He explained very basically what that meant. I was too emotional to talk. My father has been a lawyer for almost thirty years, he knew the legal system, and he knew that Leila would never go to prison for killing Grace"

"How?"

"Because she is bat-shit crazy, Ana. She would be tried for insanity and put in a hospital, not prison. She is obsessed with me. Once she became conscious again after the fall, she was disoriented but kept telling Taylor how she'd push Grace again. She was telling him that she was protecting her Master. She believed that she was protecting me by pushing my mother down the stairs. She believed that I wanted her to do what she did.

My father has defended criminals before. He knew that if she got the right lawyer, they would blame me for Grace's death. They would say that I encouraged her, or that I abused her. She knew how to play the victim. She has been abused in the past. It wouldn't be hard for a judge or a jury member to believe that I had coerced her"

"You said that you have the best lawyers in the country"

He nods his head "I do. But if enough media outlets ran with the story of me being a sadistic dominant who abused a twenty-one year old girl and made her snap – It wouldn't matter how good my lawyers are. The public would've made up their minds before the case ever reached a courtroom. It happens every day"

It did happen every day. Once the public made up their mind on someone, there was no turning back. I believed that Christian was innocent in what happened that day, but I could understand why someone else wouldn't think so. It would be easy to spin the story and make Christian the bad guy. It would be easy to paint Leila as the victim. In some ways she was the victim. She is obviously mentally ill and needs help.

"So, you lied and said that Grace died in her sleep?"

He solemnly nods his head "Yes. I am not proud of it"

"Where is Leila?"

"My father organized for her to be sent to a facility in Texas. It is in the middle of nowhere and ran by a corrupt son-of-a-bitch. He agreed to take her in, as long as I send him a cheque every month. He keeps her sedated and under-control. As long as I am alive, she will never leave that hospital. I don't care how much it costs me"

"What about her family? She must have someone out there who is wondering where she is?"

"No. She has no one" He tells me "She isn't being harmed in the hospital. She spends her days with people just as fucked up as her. As long as she is drugged and out of it, she is fine. If she had gone to Prison, she would've gotten out within ten years…Maybe even five years. At least in hospital she can be kept under control"

"Do you believe she is threat?"

"Yes" His sad grey eyes look into mine. "Just last week she saw the photos of you and I on the TV. She saw how close I was to you and became jealous. She threw a fit and began to attack anyone who came near her. She was trying to escape to get to you. The nurses managed to sedate her and then put her in isolation again"

"Do you think she is going to escape and come after you?"

Christian shakes his head "It's not me I am worried about, Ana" He reaches across the lounge to take my hand in his "I get it if this is too much for you. I won't blame you if you want to run"

"Why do you that!?"

"What?" He sits up "Do what? I am giving you a way out. In case you haven't noticed, my life is completely fucked up! I use to get off on beating women. I covered up my own mother's death. I chased after a married woman until she left her husband. I am not a good guy, Ana. I am giving you a way out. I am giving you a chance to get away from me"

"Christian, I don't want a way out! You act as if you're the screwed up one in this relationship. We're both screwed up. I married a man because I felt bad for him and I didn't know how to say no. I cheated on him and I fell in love with another man while still married. We're both made mistakes in our life. I don't want a way out. Do you want me to run, Christian? Do you want me out of your life? Is that why you were so supportive of me taking a job in London?"

He turns to face me on the lounge. He takes my hand in his and brings it to his lips. "No" He quietly says "But can you live with what I did, Ana? Can you live with the lie?"

Now that I knew what happened, I would forever be involved with the lie. Whenever someone asked what happened to Grace, I would have to tell them that she died in her sleep. Could I do that? I think I could. I would do it for him.

I understand why Carrick Grey did what he did. He had lost his wife and didn't want to lose his son too. He covered up the truth in order to protect Christian's reputation and freedom. It would be easy for an outsider to judge him and condemn him for the choices he made that day, but truthfully, I would do the same to protect someone I loved. I would've done the same thing to protect Christian.

Slowly I begin to nod my head "I can. I don't blame you for what happened to your mother. I understand why your father wanted to protect you. I get it, Christian. I can live with the lie, can you?"

"No, but I am learning to. I miss her, Ana. I miss my mother every single day. Now that I have you in my life, I miss her even more. She would've loved you so much. All she ever wanted was for me to find happiness and peace, and I have finally found it. If I had a chance to go back in time and tell her that I loved her – just once – I would do it. I was a horrible son to her. I am a horrible brother. Mia is going through some of the most difficult years in her life, and she has to do that without a mother. I understand why she hates me-"

"Hey!" I quickly move to my knees in front of him. I take his handsome, gloomy, face in my hands and force him to look at me "Christian, what happened was a terrible accident. It is horrible, and it is sad. I can't even begin to imagine the pain of losing your mother. You can't spend the rest of your life beating yourself up about it. You need to forgive yourself-"

"I can't"

"Try" I whisper gently to him "I am not saying you need to do that tonight or even tomorrow, but one day you have to let yourself move forward. _We_ can never move forward if you stay stuck in the past. Please, for me, try"

He lets my words sink in before finally agreeing and nodding his head. When his eyes met mine again, I saw something in them that I hadn't seen all night. He had been distant and worried since he picked me up this evening, now he was back to being my Christian. I saw the love that he had for me in his grey eyes. I saw admiration and affection when he looked at me. I saw _my_ Christian.

He reached out and brushed my long hair off my face. His gentle fingers caressed my cheek. "What did I ever do to deserve you?"

I smile bashfully "You didn't have to do anything but be the brilliant man that you are"

His lips were on mine in a heartbeat. His hand cupped the back of my hair and pulled me in closer. His soft lips pressed to mine in a sweet, gentle kiss. The gentleness of the kiss didn't last long. He slid down off the couch onto the wooden floor. His hands wrapped around my hips as he drew my body in against his.

His lips moved to my jaw and then to my neck. I let out a quiet whimper as he kissed the sensitive skin just below my ear. I pulled at his shirt. I was aching to get it off him and feel his hard body on top of mine again. I needed to be kissed and touched by him. I was craving him.

"Ana…" He whispered against my skin.

My fingers moved into his copper hair that I adored. I guided his lips to kiss further down my neck. I wanted his lips all over my body. When he pulled away to look into my eyes, I let out a soft moan of protest. "You are like an Angel that was sent to me in my darkest hours. You are the only thing I have left in my life, and I can't lose you"

"You're not going to" I press myself harder against his body.

His lips returned to mine. He wrapped an arm around my waist as he gently laid me down on the cold wooden floor. His body covered mine as he kissed me. I shrugged out of his suit jacket. His lips returned to my neck and he kissed a trail to my bare shoulders. "I love you"

I didn't have a chance to say it back. His lips were already on mine. His hand caressed down my body. Down my waist. Down my thighs. I shivered when I felt the warmth of his fingers brush against my hot, bare, skin.

"Marry me…" I heard him whisper, but I wasn't paying attention to his words. I was more focused on his kisses and his touch. He pulled away from me and looked down into my blue eyes. "I mean it"

"What?"

"Anastasia SteeIe, I want you to be completely mine. I want you to marry me"

* * *

 **So now you know what happened!**

 **I know some people will question why I didn't put Leila in prison. The reason I didn't is because realistically if she went to prison for the crime she committed, she wouldn't spend longer than ten years behind bars. Also, it would be so easy to spin the story and make Christian the bad guy. Carrick being a lawyer knew that. I just wanted to clear that up and put my opinion out there. :)**

 **Anyway,**

 **Who do you think is going to be the biggest threat? Leila or Elena?**

 **What do you think Ana is going to say to Christian's sudden proposal?**

 **Do you think the Grey family will be able to keep this secret in the family?**

 **Review and let me know what you think is going to happen next! :)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **Your response to the last chapter was amazing, so thankyou for that!**

 **Please mind any grammar mistakes!**

 **Now, on with the story...**

* * *

Chapter 21

Christian Grey wasn't a man who was easily worried or anxious. He was usually in control of a situation and had no need to be worried or anxious. Whether it was work, or family, he was always the one in control. He predicted and planned the outcome of every situation. He knew exactly how to make things go in his favour and get his way. He was a man who always got his way, no matter the obstacles. He craved control and lived for it.

Yet, Anastasia Steele made him an anxious mess at all times, and he was madly in love with her.

When he was with her he felt as if all was right in the world. He couldn't care less if he had a plan or not. He didn't care if he gave up control to her. He trusted her more than he trusted anyone else. When he was away from her, he was scared and anxious. He would constantly worry about her leaving him. He was scared that one day she would wake up and realize how fucked up he is. She deserved a man that was just as loving and kind as she was, and Christian worried that one day she would find him. He had lost too many people in his life already, he didn't want to lose Ana as well.

His proposal may be sudden, but he was serious. He was ready to marry her. He was ready to spend every day for the rest of his life with her. By the look on the face, she wasn't feeling the same way.

"Christian" She quietly said as she sat up. She rested on her forearms so her azure eyes looked straight into his grey ones. "I…I don't know what to say"

"Say yes, Ana" He urged her "You know that I can make you happy. I am willing to do whatever it takes to see that gorgeous, bright, smile on your face every single day. You have ruined me, Ana. There is no other woman on this planet that I could love as much as I love you. I never would've told you what I did tonight if I wasn't serious about marrying you"

"I know you're serious, Christian-"

He could sense a but coming.

"-But we have had a long, emotional, night. I don't think right now is the best time to talk about something as major as marriage" She says gently "I love you and I see my future with you. Right now, I don't know where my future is headed. The only thing I do know is that whatever path I end up choosing, I want it to be with you"

"Then marry me!"

A happy smile rose on her face. It was the kind of smile that showed off her adorable dimples and made Christian weak. When she smiled like that, she looked at him as if he was her everything. She looked at him like no other woman ever had. She looked at him with love, affection, and awe.

He nuzzled into her neck "We already know what we want. Why should we put it off any longer?"

"Because I am already married"

"You'll be divorced in a matter of months. If Jose doesn't agree to your terms I will have my lawyers step in. I know you said that you don't want me to do that, but your battles are my battles now"

His battles were hers now as well. After dumping the information about his mother on Ana, she would forever be tied into the scandal. It was safer for her to know the truth about Leila, though. He also didn't want to be dishonest with her for the rest of their lives.

She pulled away to look him in the eyes again "What about a ring?"

"I have one" She raised a single eyebrow in disbelief "I have had a ring ready since Tuesday night after you left me"

She thought of another excuse. "We've never lived together"

"We can change that"

"What if I go to London, Christian? Do you want to be engaged to a woman that is half way across the world?"

"Yes, especially if you are in London"

"What about my father? You have never met him and you need his permission before we can ever get married. If you don't ask him, he will find that extremely disrespectful. He is one of the most important men in my life and I need you two to get along. I never want to have to choose between you or him"

She had a point there.

"Plus, I am not sure that I want to jump from being Mrs. Rodriguez to Mrs. Grey. It's not that I don't want to marry you, Christian. I do. I want to spend my life with you. I also want to establish some kind of career on my own. I don't want to live in your shadow, which is what would happen if on my resume it said _Mrs. Christian Grey_ -"

"You're talented, Ana. You'll make something of yourself regardless if you have my name or not"

"Why do we need to rush into something? I love you; I want to be with you, why can't that be enough for right now?" She strokes her hand along his jaw. Her gentle touch always soothed him. He leaned into her hand "It's not a no, Christian"

"But it is not a yes either"

She shakes her head. Christian would be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed. He understood her reasoning, he just didn't like it. In his mind he saw nothing wrong with them getting engaged now and telling people later. He didn't care if they kept it a secret until her divorce was finalized. He wanted her to be completely his. He didn't want to share her with anyone. He didn't want her last name to be another man's. It may be irrational of him, but he didn't want Jose to have her in a way that Christian didn't.

Also, he wanted to make sure that if she left for London, their relationship would still be okay. He didn't want her to meet another man while abroad or move on with her life without him. One way of making sure that didn't happen was to get engaged.

He goes to move to his feet but Ana holds him down. "No" She says. Her pouty lips find Christian's jaw and neck, leaving red lipstick marks on his skin "I need you, Christian. I don't think I can wait much longer"

"You have me"

"Make love to me, Christian" She said in a breathy voice before lying down on his jacket. Her brown hair was fanned out on the wooden floor. Her hands began to caress down his shoulders. "I feel like it has been forever since you touched me or made love to me. I want you here. Right now"

He glanced up at his surroundings. When he glanced around the open apartment, he was reminded of the day his mother died. He could still picture the way her body looked lying at the bottom of the curved stairs. Her body was lifeless. He can remember the blood from Leila hitting her head splattered on the floor. He was haunted by the imagery of that day. He loved making love to Ana and he needed it tonight. God, they both needed it. He couldn't make love to here, though. He couldn't with the ghosts of his dark past that haunted him here.

"I can't" He whispered to her "Not here"

She realizes why and quickly nods her head "I understand. I am sorry, I should've realized. Of course you don't want to have sex here. I wasn't thinking-"

"Shh, it is okay" He kisses her lips gently one more time "Let's go home"

The ride to the Fairmont was much more relaxed than the ride to Christian's apartment. He was able to breathe again and just enjoy being with Ana. She now knew every dark secret he had and by some miracle she was still with him. He didn't have to worry so much. When they entered his hotel suite that doubled as his apartment, he went to ask her if she wanted anything to drink, she silenced him with an urgent kiss. She knew exactly what she wanted and she wasn't wasting anytime.

He bent down and wrapped his hands around the back of her smooth thighs. He lifted her so her long legs wrapped around his hips. "I don't want anything but you" She said against his lips before kissing him hard.

His body reacted as it always did when she kissed him. He felt his dick twitch and strain against his paints. He kicked of his boots and stumbled into the suite. Her hands were going wild in his hair. They moved to his shoulders and then to the buttons on his grey shirt. She didn't have the patience to undo them one at a time; she instead ripped open his shirt and sent the small buttons flying across the room. Her hands glided along his chest and over his nipples. He let out a low groan of approval.

He carried her to the bedroom and laid her down on the large king size bed. Their hands were frantically pulling at the other's clothing. Ana did the button of his black trousers and tugged them down his legs. He pulled her black dress up her body and she wriggled out of it. Underneath her sexy black dress – that had been driving Christian crazy all night – was a matching black bra and underwear set.

Her lingerie was so simple and understated. If anyone else were to wear it, it wouldn't have the same impact on Christian. Just like when she was wearing his boxers, or wearing a tight black dress, _she_ made it look good. She was the most beautiful woman that Christian had ever laid eyes on. She constantly took his breath away. Her bright blue eyes stood out against her dark hair, red lips, and black lace lingerie.

"Ana…" He breathed out as he let his hand roam along her flat stomach. He wraps it around the back of her neck and looks into her eyes" You have no idea how fucking beautiful you are. Do you have any idea the power you have over me?"

She smiles "Do you have any idea how much power you have over me?"

She takes his hand and slowly begins to move it south. Her eyes stayed locked on his as she moved his hand to brush over her breasts, down her stomach, to her black panties. "I was yours, Christian, the minute you walked into that hardware store"

She moved his hand inside her panties. She was warm, wet, and ready for him. She continued to guide his hand to where she wanted. Her teeth sank into her bottom lip, a habit that always drove Christian wild. He wanted to bite that lip and she knew it. She knew exactly what she was doing. She wasn't as innocent as she looked.

"Ana" He warned her.

She didn't listen to his warning. She wanted to push him and make him lose control. She began to turn her hips and rub against his hand. "My body responded to you then, just like it is right now. You've always had this power over me, Christian. I have always been yours"

He suddenly sunk two fingers inside her, she gasped loudly at the feeling. He began to move his fingers deeper inside her. Her hips rose off the bed and he held her down with his free hand. His fingers moved harder and faster inside her. She writhed beneath him on the bed. She struggled to keep her hips on the bed. She was trying to meet every thrust of Christian's fingers.

He loved watching her. Just like the time in the nightclub when he had made her cum for the first time. He had loved watching her then. He loved watching her in the heat of the moment. He couldn't care less about pleasuring himself. Pleasuring Ana was what made sex so enjoyable for him.

"Oh…" She licked her bottom lip before biting it again.

He withdrew his fingers from her and she let out a quiet protest. He pulled her panties down her smooth legs and she kicked them aside. He opened her legs further before kissing her flat stomach and moving downwards. He loved the taste of her. This was something special that he would only do with her. Oral sex on a Sub wasn't something he ever enjoyed. He found it to be too intimate and personal. He rarely did it. With Ana, he would happily eat her pussy and make her cum for hours.

Her hand tangled in his hair as she lifted her hips to meet his lips. She was moaning his name loudly and encouraging him. She twisted and squirmed on the bed. Her hands fisted on the bed sheets above her head. He knew that she was close.

"Oh!" She whimpered "You are going to make me cum, Christian"

He could feel her body tensing. Her thighs tightened around his head. Her fingers painfully pulled at his hair "Oh fuck!" She called out. All it took was one more flick of his tongue against her clit to send her over the edge. Her back arched up off the bed as she tried to move away from his lips. He wrapped his hands around her thighs and held her to him as she rode out her intense orgasm.

"Open your eyes" He ordered her.

"Christian…" She moaned and pulled at his lips. She was trying to get away from his lips and his tongue. "Baby…Oh…Fuck…I can't go again"

"Yes you can"

"Oh, God"

He raised her legs above his shoulders and continued pleasuring her. His tongue worked on her clit while his fingers moved inside her. She fought it for only a moment, but soon relaxed into the bed and opened her thighs wider for Christian. It didn't take much at all to bring her to her second orgasm of the night. He had plenty more planned for her.

He moved to his knees between her open thighs. He could see that she was already tired. Her hands reached out to the belt and button of his trousers. She undid them with her eyes still locked on Christian's. He moved both his trousers and briefs down his legs and kicked them to the end of the bed. His dick was painfully hard and in desperate need of relief.

She pushed him down onto the bed on his back. She threw a leg over his waist to straddle him. She looked ridiculously sexy atop Christian. Her brown hair was hanging over one shoulder. Her lips were swollen from their kisses. Her cheeks were red from her many orgasms. She reached across the bed to his bedside draw where he kept his condoms. She ripped one open with her teeth and skilfully slid it onto his dick. She raised herself up before lowering herself onto his length.

"Ohhh…" Her head rolled back as she took every inch of him.

She was so soft, tight, and warm. Christian couldn't help the feral groan of pleasure that escaped his lips as he entered her. Like always she needed a moment to adjust to his size before continuing. He placed his hands on her hips and just watched as she set the rhythm. He was happy to lay back and give her control.

He was happy to watch and admire the woman he loved.

* * *

I had never felt closer to him than I did in this moment.

I had my head rested on his sweaty, bare, chest. I was drawing small circles on his skin and letting my hands run through his fine chest-hair. I never thought of chest-hair as sexy until I met Christian. My leg was thrown over his slender waist. I could feel his semi-hard erection poking at my thigh. I wasn't sure how after countless rounds of sex he could still be hard. He had one arm wrapped around my back; the other was resting on my leg. His fingers were gently running up and down the length of my thigh. The only thing I was wearing was the teardrop earrings he had gifted to me earlier.

Neither of us was speaking, every now and then I'd look up at him and he would kiss me. It wasn't the kind of passionate kiss that we had shared earlier; instead it was soft and sweet. I would feel him press his lips to the top of my head and tighten his hold on me.

I loved sex with Christian, but I also loved the aftermath of sex. I loved the moments afterwards when we were both blissfully sedated and happy. We didn't have to make conversation or talk about what was wrong in our life. For these short moments, it was just Christian and I together in our own little bubble.

I still had questions about Grace and Leila. I wasn't sure if I wanted to ruin our moment by talking about them. Christian must've picked up on my worry. He asked me "What's wrong, I can feel you going tense?"

"I was just thinking…"

"About?"

I rose myself off his chest to look into his eyes. I still felt my insides soften and butterflies flutter around in my stomach when I looked into his beautiful eyes. "How many people know, Christian?"

He knew what I meant. "Ahh…" He thought about it "You, Mia, Elliot, My father, and Taylor. Obviously Leila knows, though, most of the time she is so drugged that she can't even remember what day it is. I am not worried about her telling anyone. Plus, the nurses all think she is psychotic. No one listens to a word she has to say"

I was worried. I trusted that Christian had everything under control, but I couldn't help but worry about Leila one day saying something. All it would take is for her to say something to the authorities for them to look into Grace's death. What if they found out? What would happen to Christian and his family? Would he go to prison?

"Hey" He says quietly as he presses his lips to the top of my head "I don't want you to worry about me, Baby. I'll never let Leila come between us"

"I can't help but worry" I say as I lie back down and settle onto his chest again. "So, seven people know what happened?"

"No, eight" He says "Elena Lincoln also knows. I couldn't hide what happened from her. At the time I thought I could trust her and-"

"And does she know everything?"

"Yes"

The thought of Elena Lincoln knowing the truth filled me with dread. The woman was pure evil and someone who should not be trusted with information that could send Christian or his family to prison. Her knowing the truth gave her too much power against Christian.

"After the incident I needed to talk to someone. I couldn't talk to a therapist about it and it's not like I had any friends. Elena understood the man I was back then and she also understood Leila. I know that you don't like Elena, but she isn't as evil as you think she is. She did help me, Ana. I wouldn't be in the position I am now without her help. I would probably be an alcoholic, drug-dependent, broke, lazy, jerk. There is no way I would have GEH or the money that I have"

I turn onto my stomach so I can look directly into his eyes "Are you grateful for what she did?"

He nods his head "Yeah, I am"

I didn't understand it. I didn't understand how her interfering in his life and introducing him to sex at the age of fifteen was a good thing. "But, you were so young. I know that I would be horrified if my son was being tied up and beaten by an older woman for pleasure. Especially a woman that I considered a friend. There is something seriously wrong with her if she thinks what she did was okay. I have never been attracted to a fifteen year old child-"

"Fifteen is hardly a child-" He says with a small laugh "Ana, most fifteen year olds are having sex. If they're not fucking then they are doing other things. Elliot was fifteen when he lost his virginity. All his friends were fifteen or sixteen. It's just what kids do at that age. I wasn't _that_ young"

"I wasn't having sex at fifteen!" I shake my head "I didn't start until after I was married"

Christian pulls me in closer to his body. His hand rests on my behind with his fingers digging into the skin. He nuzzled into my neck "And I love that about you. I love how untouched you are and how innocent you are. But it is rare for a twenty-one year old to be a virgin. Fifteen year olds having sex is not a crazy thing. Every teenage boy has fantasies of hooking up with someone older than them. I wasn't taken advantage of"

"So, if the roles were reversed, you still wouldn't find it creepy?"

"No!"

I shake my head "Okay, Mr. Grey, will you be saying that when a forty year old, married man, seduces your fifteen year old daughter and introduces her to BDSM?"

He was silent after that. I obviously hit a raw nerve with my question. The aggravated, frustrated scowl on his face said it all. He did not like that idea. He suddenly wrapped an arm around me and turned me onto my back. He rolled on top of me, his weight held me against the bed. He pinned my wrists above my head. His bent legs spread mine. I could feel his erection poking at my sensitive sex.

I was left breathless as I stared up at him. My happy, sedated, Christian was gone and replaced by the predatory Christian. After I don't know how many rounds of sex, he was still hard and ready for me. Was it because of his out-of-control sex drive, or because of his want and need for me? I loved sex with him because I loved feeling close to him. It wasn't because I was horny twenty-four-seven, or that I had an insatiable sex drive. I craved Christian and needed him.

I am not sure how I could go three months without him for a job that would go nowhere.

"We're done talking about this" He tells me "The last person I want to talk about is Elena Lincoln. I will take care of her; you don't need to worry"

"It's hard not to…" I mutter.

"I will take care of you, Anastasia. You don't need to worry about Elena or Leila. I will take care of you physically, mentally-" His lips came down to my sensitive neck. I rolled my head to the side and exposed more of my neck to him. "-sexually. You are mine, Ana, and I look after what is mine"

I still hadn't told him about my run-in with Elena at Neiman Marcus. I knew that I needed to tell him, but given everything he had told me – my problems with Elena seemed miniscule. But if I don't tell him he will be angry. He is a confusing man. It is better that he hears it from me and not Elena _fucking_ Lincoln.

I decide that I have to tell him now. "Christian, I spoke with El-"

He didn't give me a chance to finish my sentence. He was obviously done speaking. His lips returned to mine and I accepted his deep kiss. "I don't want to talk about it anymore" He growled against my lips. He reached above my head to find a condom in the bedside table. He slipped it onto his waiting erection before rolling his hips into me.

* * *

I woke up to sun glaring down on me. Christian's secure arms were wrapped around me while he slept. It was rare for me to wake up before him and it filled me with a strange sense of happiness. It felt so normal to wake up in bed beside him. Even though I was hot and sweaty from the summer heat, I still wanted him to hold me and cuddle me. It felt natural to be with him. I wasn't forcing anything.

As much as I wanted to stay in bed with him, I desperately needed to use the bathroom and I was starving.

I carefully and slowly tried to lift Christian's arms from around my waist. As I lifted his arm, he wrapped them tighter around me and let out a quiet moan in protest. He snuggled into me even more. He was wrapped around me like some kind of vine. Once I heard him quietly snoring again, I lifted his arm away from me. I carefully wriggled away from him. I was almost at the edge of the bed when his arms captured me again-

"Ahh!" I squealed.

He pulled me into his body "Are you trying to sneak out while I am sleeping?"

"No" I giggled "I am trying to use the bathroom!"

He rolled me onto my back so I was looking up to him. He laid on his side with one hand still firmly holding me. I could feel his erection poking at my thigh. His adorable copper hair was sticking out in all different direction from last night when I had been pulling on it. I reached out and tried to smooth it down with my fingers. He leaned into my hand.

"You have sex hair" I told him.

"So do you. You should see your hair right now. You look like you're insane" He lowered his lips to mine and gently kissed me. My lips felt sensitive and swollen from last night. He deepened our kiss and I could feel his hand moving further down my body. "I love waking up with you. I love falling asleep with you. I always sleep well when I am with you"

I loved waking up with him as well. It was just another reason why I didn't want to be away from him for three months. I like the idea of London, I really do. I like the idea of living in a new city and experiencing something new in my life. I had never left America before. I had only seen Washington, Georgia and briefly New York. The idea of experiencing the rest of the world was exciting. The idea of moving away from Christian wasn't. Him being so supportive of me moving away meant the world to me. He was willing to put his wants and needs aside for what I wanted to do. I only wanted to move to London to experience the city and have _Michaelson's Publishing_ on my resume.

I placed my hands on Christian's warm chest to pull away from him. I needed to stop the kiss before it turned into something more. "Can we save this for later? I really need to pee"

"Fine" He rolled off me "But hurry up. I am not done with you yet"

I rolled out of the sheets and walked around the large bed. I found Christian's grey shirt lying on the floor at the foot of the bed. I slipped it on to cover up my naked body. As I walked into the bathroom, I glanced back to Christian who was smiling as he watched me.

After finishing in the bathroom, I did a once over in the mirror. I had major sex-hair. I tried to run my fingers through my long, thick, mane. As I was fixing my hair I noticed the bruises on my neck, chest, and my thighs. They were bruises from his lips and there was no foundation in the world that was going to cover them. The evidence of our sex was all over my body.

I left the bathroom and jumped back onto the bed. I climbed on top of Christian and straddled his waist. His hands went out to rest on my thighs and his thumb brushed over the love-bite on the inside of my leg.

"Do you want to explain these bruises?"

He shakes his head with a playful smile ono his lips "No"

"I won't be able to cover them up. I'll have to walk around all day with this giant bruise on my neck, and everyone knows how it got there"

"Exactly" He wrapped his hand around the back of my neck "It is sexy. It is like I am claiming you as mine and the rest of the world will know it too"

He went to kiss me again, but my growling stomach stopped him. I was starving and seriously craving pancakes. He suggested that we go out for breakfast, but I felt like cooking. I crawled out of bed and headed towards the kitchen.

I made a pancake mixture and turned on the in-built radio while I cooked. They were playing the Top 40 pop songs of the week and I recognized only half of them. I was never one who could keep up with music trends. I was still stuck in the early 2000's with my love of Destiny's Child and TLC. Kate would always mock my music taste in college, but deep down inside I knew she secretly loved it.

As I was cooking, I could hear Christian's stern voice from the bedroom. He sounded like he was bossing an employee around. I heard him mention something about reports and Taiwan. He did not sound like the playful Christian I woke up with this morning; he sounded more like the CEO Christian. Was it weird that I was so attracted to his sexy CEO voice?

He eventually emerged from the bedroom in just a pair of loose basketball shorts. His shirtless body was on full display to me and I was admiring the view. He walked up to me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I leaned back against his chest as he held me.

"This feels normal" I whisper to him.

I can feel him nod his head "It could be. You could move in with me and we could make this normal"

I smile at the thought of living with him. I would probably pull my hair out by the end of the week if I lived with him. His moods are always changing. I never know if he is going to be grumpy, angry gloomy, playful, or horny…Well, he is always horny, and that is the one thing I can rely on. Our relationship would be put to the test if we together. Could we survive constantly being in each other's space? It wasn't that long ago that he was living alone in his cold penthouse apartment. Living with another human-being would be a huge change for him.

"Imagine" He whispers in my ear, sending a chill over my body "Every morning waking up next to each other. We would get ready for work together. I could zip up your dress, you could do my tie. Every night we'd come home together. We'd eat dinner together. We'd shower together. We'd make love every night-"

"It sounds tiring" I tease him.

"If you're not going to marry me, you could at least move in with me"

I smile "How could I say no to such a romantic proposal?" His hand dips down to pinch my bare behind. I let out a quiet gasp and try to slap his hand away.

The truth was that I was scared of moving in with him and marrying him. I knew how difficult both those things were. I knew it took a lot of hard work to maintain a relationship when living with someone else or marrying them. Right now I loved the relationship I had with Christian, I loved him, I didn't want that to be ruined. Plus, I was still so unsure of where I would be in a month's time. I don't know if I am going to be in Seattle or London.

"Can we wait before we make a decision like that? Moving in with your partner is a huge step. Your relationship becomes so much more complicated" I explain to him as I begin to serve the pancakes "We should wait until I hear back from _Michaelson's Publishing_ "

He nods his head "Fine"

He wasn't happy with that.

* * *

Christian Grey woke up on Monday morning to his intrusive alarm ringing in his ear. He quickly grabbed his phone from his bedside table to shut it up. He didn't want it to wake up Anastasia. It was rare for him to not be awake before his alarm, but after the weekend he just had, he was feeling more relaxed than usual. They basically fucked for forty-eight hours and only separated to eat, sleep, or use the bathroom.

He didn't want to get up and go to work. He wasn't ready for this weekend to end. It had been so simple, normal, and perfect. There were no drama's regarding her family or his. There were no crazy ex's trying to interfere on their time together. He wanted every weekend for the rest of his life to be like the one he just had.

He rolled over in the King-size bed to Ana's sleeping body. Her long hair was spread over the dark pillow. She had her arms tucked into her chest and holding the dark sheet to her bare chest. Her pink, pouty, lips were slightly open as she slept. She really was beautiful. She was the kind of beautiful that didn't need any make-up to accentuate her already full lips, or her high-cheekbones. He preferred her like this. He liked it when she was natural, naked, and completely bare to him.

As much as he didn't want to go to work, he knew he had to. He had hundreds-of-thousands employees around the world depending on him. He could quit today and live comfortably for numerous lifetimes, but his employees wouldn't. If he let his company go to shit those hundreds-of-thousands employees would be out of a job. He had a responsibility and a lot of people depending on him. He had to go to work.

He leaned over Ana and kissed her soft cheek before reluctantly rolling out of bed. He showered, shaved, styled his hair, dressed in his suit and then walked downstairs to make himself a coffee. He sent a message to Taylor to tell him to have the car ready within twenty minutes.

As he was making his usual morning coffee, he saw Ana walk down the hallway in just one of Christian's shirt. Her hand was sleepily running through her messy hair.

"Morning" He says brightly "I was wondering when you'd wake up"

She frowns and pads into the kitchen. "You've worn me out this weekend. I don't want you to go to work. I want to stay in our perfect, little, bubble"

"I don't want to go to work either, but I have to. We have to return to reality eventually"

He lifts his cup of steaming coffee and Ana quickly steals it from him. "Hey!" She takes a sip of it and scrunches her nose up at the strong taste. She obviously didn't like it. She quickly handed it back to Christian shaking her head at the taste.

"How can you drink that? It is so strong?"

"I need it strong if I am going to get through the day" He smiles to her as he begins to drink it. He had mastered the art of downing a cup of coffee in two minutes. He feels his phone vibrating in his pocket. He had many emails that he neglected over the weekend. He checks his phone and a frown forms on his face when he sees who has texted him.

"What's wrong?" Ana asks.

"My sister just sent me a text. She never messages me" He unlocks his phone to read the message that she sent to him.

 _Christian, you need to see this:_

She sent him a link to a stupid, mindless, celebrity gossip website. It was the kind of website that Mia would spend hours on. For whatever reason she loved celebrity gossip and followed the lives of the rich and famous. She stayed up into the early hours of the morning just to watch the Royal Wedding.

He tapped on the link and the minute he saw the headline, he felt his stomach sink.

* * *

 ** _Meet Christian Grey's MARRIED girlfriend Anastasia Steele…Or should we say Rodriguez._**

 _Christian Grey, 30, is known for being the mega rich and mega handsome billionaire. He is the most eligible bachelor in America and broke hearts earlier this week when photos emerged of him with a mystery brunette. (See photos on left)._ _That mystery brunette has now been identified as_ _ **Anastasia Rodriguez**_ _, 23. The twenty-three year old beauty is formerly known as_ _ **Anastasia Steele**_ **.** _That's right, she is married! Meet her husband_ _ **Jose Rodriguez,**_ _24\. (See photos on left)_

 _The pair married in August of 2011. They met in college and were reportedly close friends. Rodriguez filed for a divorce on the 22 of June 2013, just a day after photos of her and Grey emerged. Jose was reportedly distraught after finding out his wife was having an affair that he tried to commit suicide and was hospitalized for a number of days. While hospitalized, Rodriguez filled for a divorce._

 _A source close to Grey claims that Rodriguez was his date to his mother's annual charity event on May 5_ _th_ _. They also claim that Rodriguez attended his birthday dinner and met his family on June 18_ _th_ _. They say that Grey is smitten over the girl, but The Grey family believe that the relationship is not going to last. Friends close to Rodriguez claim that she is obsessed with Grey and will do anything to be with him, including leaving her partner of almost six years._

 _So far there has been no comment from the Grey camp._

* * *

Fuck, Fuck, Fuck, was all Christian could think.

His eyes rose from the screen and looked into Ana's innocent, worried, blue ones. He didn't want her to be dragged through the mud by the media. He had wanted to hide her from the public, not because he was ashamed of her, but because he knew how cruel the public was. He could already see the headlines on front of magazines and newspapers. _Anastasia Steele, the slut who left her husband._ They didn't give a shit about the truth; they only cared about what would sell. They will paint her as the slut, whore, gold-digger, whatever they want the public to believe.

"Is everything okay?" She asks. Her hands reach out to rest on Christian's biceps. "You're as white as a ghost. You look like you're about to be sick. Christian?"

He couldn't hide this from her. This was already a trending article on one of the biggest gossip websites in the world. This scandal was only going to get bigger and bigger. She had to know what was going on.

He turns his phone around to face Ana. Her face fell when she read the headline.

"They know" He says hoarsely "Someone has talked to the press and told them who you are"

* * *

 **Oh no, who would do such a thing?**

 **Now the whole world knows she is married...including the Grey family. How will they react?**

 **How will Christian react when he hears about Ana's altercation with Elena?**

 **Review and let me know what you think is going to happen next! :)**


	22. Chapter 22

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **Please mind any mistakes...**

* * *

Chapter 22

 _-Oh my god, what a slut. She left her husband for a richer guy. She has no dignity._

 _-What a selfish bitch. She divorced her husband while he was in hospital._

 _-I don't blame him for wanting to kill himself. I wouldn't want to be married to someone like her either._

 _-I'd leave my husband too if I could have Christian Grey._

 _-Honey, he is going to leave you in a year when something newer and better comes along. Your relationship will never last._

 _-Once a cheater, always a cheater._

 _-I was cheated on before and it ruined me. I didn't eat or sleep for a week. It took me months to get out of the depression I felt. I now can't trust my boyfriends because of that one bad one. I hope she understands the pain she is putting someone else through just so she can be with Christian Grey. She is selfish._

 _-I thought Christian Grey had more class than that. I was obviously wrong…_

 _-He is just as bad as her for enabling her to cheat on her husband. They are both self-centred assholes. They deserve each other._

 _-I would be so ashamed if I were her mother right now. I wonder what her in-law's think of her._

 _-I bet she is only with him for his money._

 _-She is way too young for him. He needs a mature woman, not an immature little girl._

 _-She is trash. She should've been the one to try and commit suicide. Her husband doesn't deserve filth like her._

I stare at the phone screen in front of me. I feel numb reading comment after comment. The article had been up for an hour and there were already three-hundred-and-twenty-five comments. They all said basically the same thing. Everyone was calling me a bitch, a slut, a gold-digger. They weren't just talking about me, but also Christian. His name was being damaged just as much as mine was.

These people don't even know me or my life yet they're sitting behind a computer screen judging me. It was cruel and it was horrible. I didn't understand how anyone could be so…Mean. These people don't know how miserable both Jose and I were in our marriage. They know nothing!

Christian walks towards me and pulls the phone out of my hands. I fight to hold onto it but he is stronger than me. He holds it above my head like I am some kind of child. He knows that I can't reach. "You need to stop reading the comments"

"I want to see what they're saying!"

"Why? So you can make yourself more upset?" He raises an eyebrow at me.

"Christian…"

"There is no good that can come from you reading that trash. People who write hateful, mean, things online are nobodies. They have nothing better to do at eight o'clock on a Monday morning then to go online and write garbage. They are lowlifes" He tells me as he hands me back my phone "I bet they are so miserable and bored of their own life, that they have to make someone else feel just as shit as they do. You can't take any notice of them"

"How!?" I snap at him "How do I do that, Christian? The news broke an hour ago and now every major gossip website has posted an article about it. Not only does the world know who I am, your family does! My father now knows that I stepped out on my marriage! He is probably disgusted with me…"

"Your father loves you-"

"Yeah, and he despises cheaters. He hated my mother for years after she cheated on him with a rich, older, man. He loves me, but he won't love this relationship. He is going to be so disappointed in me…"

I put my head in my hands and fall to the floor. The cool kitchen tile feels nice against my burning skin. I rest my back against the kitchen cupboard and roll my head back. Christian joins me on the floor in his expensive, grey, suit. I rest my head on his shoulder and close my eyes. I miss the weekend already. Things were easy, normal, and simple just twenty-four hours ago. Now I feel like my life is spinning out of control again. Between leaving my husband and finding out the truth about Christian's family, the drama doesn't stop.

Christian rests his head against mine. I feel his lips come down and lightly press against my forehead. His hand reached out to grasp mine. He ran his knuckles over my fingers and over the tan line where my ring once was. It was hard to believe I ever had another man in my life besides Christian. Sometimes I forget I am married.

"What do we do?" I whisper to him.

"We wait for this to blow over. They'll move on to the next scandal. There is probably an A-list celebrity couple divorcing, or babies being born. I don't know. As long as we stay quiet and out of the public eye, people will forget"

"I feel so…Dirty. I didn't want your family to find out the truth about me like this. They're probably going to be angry with you. I have to call my father and tell him what is going on before he reads about it online. I have to call my mum as well and make sure she doesn't talk to the press. Oh, and I should also call Jose and make sure he doesn't say anything"

A thought then occurs to me.

"Do you think _he_ is the source that said something?"

Christian shrugs his shoulders with a sigh "I don't know. I am going to meet with my PR team and they will find out who said something. The article did say that you were at my birthday dinner. I can't think of any reason that Jose would know you would be there"

I think back to that time. I never said anything to Jose about going to Christian's birthday. I did say something to my mother, but I know in my heart that she would never go and leak that information. If she had it her way, this scandal would never see the light of day. She doesn't want the world to think her daughter is some kind of slut.

Carrick and Mia don't know that I am married. Maybe Kate has told Elliot, but why would Elliot then go and tell the media? That made no sense. The only other person at his birthday dinner was Elena. She would say something to get back at me for calling her a rapist. She is probably the one on that stupid website writing the stupid comments about me. She was a petty woman, so of course she would do something like this.

"The only person at your dinner who would tell the media who I am is Elena" I tell him. "She has said something, Christian"

He nods his head "She would. She does want you out of my life…"

"It's not just that" I admit "I ran into her at Neiman Marcus last week. We said some things to each other and-"

"And what the fuck did she say to you!?" He sits up. His whole body had become tense. I could see that he was about to snap. "Ana, why am I only hearing about this now?"

"Because…I thought I handled her. I made sure she knew to stay away from me and away from your family. I thought I had the situation under control!"

"You need to tell me everything, Ana" He says in a low voice. It was a voice that scared me.

"Well…"I begin "She tried to tell me to stay away from you. She basically repeated everything she told me the night of your birthday. She told me that you would get bored of me and I wasn't right for you. She told me that I had one more chance to walk away. I then stood up for myself. I asked her why I should be afraid of her when I know everything she did. I then…Umm…I then called her a rapist and told her to stay away from you and your family. I f she didn't…I would call the cops."

"You called her a fucking rapist and threatened to call the cops on her!?"

Christian jumped up from the cold tied floor and glared down at me. Yep, he was definitely angry. He turned away from me and began to pace back and forth in his kitchen. He ran a stressed hand through his copper hair. I knew he'd be angry, but I didn't think he'd be this angry. I stand up off the tiled ground as well.

He quickly spun around to face me again. "Of course she went out and did an expose on you when you threatened her! Fuck. I told you to stay away from her!"

"I didn't go looking for her!" I yell back at him. "I ran into her at Neiman Marcus. She saw me and she walked over to me. She threatened me the minute she saw me. What else was I meant to do, Christian? Was I meant to stand there and take her bullshit?"

"You didn't have to call her a fucking rapist!"

"Are you taking her side?"

"No!" He throws his arms up in anger and storms out of the kitchen. He quickly turns back around to face me. He isn't done talking at me "I am not taking her side, but what did you expect to happen when you called her a rapist. Did you think she'd just give up and listen to you? You don't know her like I know her. You don't know how…Vindictive she can be. In college I fucked another girl, when Elena found out she punished me so hard that I ended up in hospital-"

"And yet you still considered her a friend?"

He didn't have anything to say to that. He didn't have the chance to speak. I heard the ding of the elevator signalling someone's arrival. A moment later the doors opened to reveal Jason Taylor's tall, masculine body. I always considered Christian to be tall and well-built, but Taylor dwarfed him. The man was dressed the same every time I saw him. He wore black pants. Black boots. A black shirt. He had an earpiece attached to his ear. His light hair was shaved in an army style. The one thing that stood out on the man was his wedding ring. It was hard to imagine such a strong, burly, manly-man, being married.

"Mr. Grey, Mrs. Rodriguez" Taylor greeted us.

Christian turned away from me again. He may be done with our conversation, but I could see that he was still angry. Our argument was being shelved until later.

"What is the crowd like downstairs?" Christian snapped at his guard "How many photographers?"

"I counted ten just five minutes ago. I am sure more have arrived since. Bronson caught one going through the trash this morning. Sawyer then caught one inside the building at the bar asking staff if they had seen you with Mrs. Rodriguez"

Christian shook his head "This is turning into a shit show. It's only been an hour since the fucking article was posted. It is only going to get worst, isn't it?"

"I am afraid so, Boss"

"What am I meant to do?" He muttered to himself "How do I make this go away?"

"Do you still want me to drive you to Grey House?"

"Yes" He nods "I have a meeting with PR in an hour. I want to meet with security as well and discuss increasing the number of guards"

"That would be a good idea, Boss"

Christian turned to me again. He walked into the kitchen and wrapped one tense arm around me. He very quickly and briefly kissed my cheek.

"We'll talk later" He told me in a low voice "Stay inside today. If you want anything, you can call room-service. I'll be home later"

With that he left.

Yep, I definitely fucked up by not telling him about Elena.

* * *

Leaving The Fairmont had been painful. All the press recognized Christian's tinted black SUV. They may not be able to see inside, but they still shouted out questions to him as they drove past. It was ridiculous. He didn't understand why they gave a fuck about him. He isn't some celebrity putting his face out there. He is a working business man. Because of his age, wealth and his good looks, that put him on a higher pedestal than any other CEO in his position.

This scandal would never go away. It may die down and the average person will forget about it, but the media wont. In the future whenever Ana attended an event as his date, the newspapers and magazines will remind the readers of her past. She won't just be Christian's wife; she will be the woman that had an affair with Christian Grey and then ended up marrying him.

He can handle public opinion. Truthfully, he couldn't give two shits about it. Anastasia was different. She wasn't use to having her life in the spotlight; of course she is going to be affected by what people say. She doesn't deserve to be bullied by the media. Christian wanted to protect her from this. He had a plan to keep her name and identity secret until she was divorced. He wanted to anonymously release info on her to the media. He would be ahead of the scandal and able to control the situation. Now things had blown out of control.

He no longer had a plan and that terrified him.

As he was sitting in the back of the dark SUV, he felt his phone ringing. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw that his brother was trying to call him.

"What do you want, Elliot?"

"I want to know how you – a man who has never had a girlfriend before – managed to not only hook up with a married woman, but also convinced her to leave her husband!" He laughed. He obviously wasn't taking the situation seriously. "Seriously, bro, how'd you do it? I have always wanted to fuck a married woman"

He can see Grey House approaching in the distance. "Elliot, I don't have time for this"

"You are so high strung. I am just having some fun with you. You don't have to be so cranky with me, I am not Dad. Kate told me who Ana was weeks ago"

"You knew she was married?"

"Yeah" He says as if it were no big deal.

"And you don't care?"

"Why would I care?" Elliot asks. All the humour was lost in his voice "I have seen another side to you lately, Christian. After everything that happened with mum, you retreated. It's like you dropped off the face of the earth. When we did see you, it still felt as if you weren't with us. You were a whole other person, but with Ana you're starting to act more like the Christian I knew. The one I grew up with. The one I was best friends with"

"You don't think differently of Ana?"

"No! I don't care if she has the most hideous personality in the world. If you love her and she makes you happy, then I am okay. Plus, she is a total sweetheart. She is like the opposite of you. Every bad quality you have, she evens out. She is perfect for you"

"I told her about mum"

"You did _what_?"

"She knows everything, Elliot"

It took some time for Elliot to come around to the idea. Once Christian told him that he had mother's ring ready to give to Ana and how much he loved her, Elliot was more understanding of his decision. He had broken up with Kate because he wasn't sure if he could tell her the truth. He understood how much it meant for Christian to open up to Ana.

Once at work he was able to take his mind off the pending media-storm and focus on something more productive. Thankfully the world of business didn't give a shit who Christian was sleeping with. He met with his security team and told them to look into Elena Lincoln. He also met with his PR team to think of ways to make this scandal go away. They suggested that Christian release a statement confirming his relationship with Mrs. Rodriguez. They even suggested having Anastasia do an interview to put her side of the story out there. He didn't like either idea.

His PR team gave him no notice of this article being posted. They were hired to keep track of those kinds of things. He would be looking into hiring someone new for head of PR.

After his frustrating meeting, he exited the conference room and saw Carrick standing at the end of the hall in the foyer. He was dressed in his suit. His greying hair was pushed back off his worried face. There was a look of relief once he saw Christian heading towards him.

"Dad, what're you doing here?"

"I need to speak with you"

Christian knew that this would be about his relationship with Ana. He had been expecting a phone call from his father today. He hadn't expected him to show up at his office. He turned to his assistant Andrea and told her to hold his calls as he escorted his father into his office.

His father awkwardly stood in the middle of the room, he was playing with the ring on his finger. Christian rested his hip against his office desk and crossed his arms against his chest. He waited for his father to speak up and say something.

"Christian, I need you to be honest with me. Does Ana have a husband?"

"Yep"

Carrick takes a breath "Did you know about this husband when you got involved with her?"

"Ah huh"

"Did she leave her husband for you?"

"You could say that…"

"Would you stop being a little smart ass!" Carrick snapped at him "This is serious, Christian. You are involved with a _married_ woman!?"

"Dad, what the fuck do you want me to say? Yes, she is married. Yes, I knew about her fucking husband when I started a relationship with her. She left him, though. Right now she is completely with me and no one else. In my mind, she isn't married and her husband doesn't exist!"

Carrick stares at Christian for a moment. He lets out a long breath of air before falling back onto the lounge "She…She just didn't seem like the kind of girl who would have an affair. She is so young"

Christian hesitantly joined him on the lounged. "Their marriage was doomed from the start" He explained "They were never happy. They were two different people on two different paths. She tried for years to make it work with him. She didn't meet me and five minutes later fall into bed with me. Her relationship with her husband was well and truly done when we started our relationship"

His father takes a moment to process the information. He was slowly starting to calm down. He ran a worried hand through his greying hair. "Do you think the husband talked to the media?"

Christian shakes his head "No. Her husband didn't know about my birthday dinner. Kate wouldn't say anything either. She is loyal to Ana. I have my men looking into it"

"Then who would say something?"

He wasn't sure if he should tell his father the truth. If he told him that Elena may be behind the leak, he would have to explain why he believed that. He would have to tell him the truth of his relationship with Elena, which was something that he never wanted to tell his family. In the past it had been to protect Elena, but now it was because he felt ashamed of his past.

 _Maybe Ana was right about Elena?_

Christian had always thought that since he was a horny fifteen year old boy who was very much willing to get his dick wet, it meant Elena didn't take advantage of him. The more he thought about it, the more disgusted he became. He can't think of any reason in which a fifteen year old child would be appealing to him. It was disgusting, and it was wrong. What she did to him was wrong.

"Elena Lincoln would've said something" Christian quietly admits "She was the only one who was at my dinner who would say something. Plus, she fucking hates Ana. It doesn't help that Ana may have said some things to her that made her snap and talk to the press"

"I seriously doubt she would do something like that. Elena has been a friend of the family for years. You have always had a close relationship with her…" Carrick sat up on the lounge. As he spoke, he was starting to realize the truth. "Christian, is there something you need to tell me?"

He had to be honest with his father.

It was time to tell him the truth.

Carrick listened to his son speak and explain his relationship with the older woman. Christian could see on his face how horrified he was by what he heard. He went from being shocked, to angry, and then saddened by what Christian told him. He felt disgusted with himself. He felt ashamed of what happened between him and Elena.

After he finished explaining everything, Carrick was a pale white.

Christian heard him mutter under his breath "I failed as a parent. I have failed all of my children…"

"Dad, don't say that shit"

"It's true!" Carrick exclaims "I should've known something was going on. I should've paid more attention or been home more. I was always so busy with work. I let this woman into our home, Christian. I would drive you to her house. I would thank her for helping you. I basically helped her to use you and take advantage of you-"

"I was always willing-"

"You were fifteen!" He shouts at his son "She corrupted your mind when you were still so young. It doesn't matter if you wanted to have sex with her. God, if I had known I would've put her in jail. She should be branded a sex offender. She deserves it!"

"I know that you have only seen the bad side of BDSM, but it helped me. It shaped me into the man that I was…"

It was then Christian realized that the man that he was wasn't a good one. He had been emotionally detached from people. He believed he was incapable of loving someone. He was sadistic. He didn't really care for anyone but himself. He was an asshole. Yes, BDSM helped him focus on his studies and his career, but it also gave him an unhealthy outlook on relationships. Elena did that to him.

It wasn't until he lost his mother and then met Ana that he really changed. He is much prouder of the man he is right now than the man he was a year ago.

"I don't want Mia or Elliot to know" He tells his father "I might tell them one day, but right now isn't the time. I want you all to stay away from Elena. I want you to cut contact with her. I plan on keeping Ana in my life, which means Elena has to go"

"Yes" Carrick nods.

"I don't know what I am meant to do about her. There is nothing more she can tell the press about Ana. Now that the media knows her name they can find out whatever information they like about her. I have Barney shutting down any old social media accounts that Ana or her husband may have. There is nothing more I can do to stop the press from looking into her life. I know there are problems in her marriage that she will not want the press to find out"

Carrick places a hand on Christian's shoulder "We'll take care of her. Plus, I think she is stronger than you give her credit for. I mean she did stay after finding out about your past lifestyle, Elena, Leila, and your mother. If she still wants to be with you after all of that, then I think it is going to take more than Elena Lincoln to scare her away"

That brings a smile to Christian's face "Yeah, she is tough" His grey eyes look up into his fathers. His smile left his face "She is not the only one I am worried about. Elena has the power to completely ruin your life. How are we meant to keep her quiet, Dad? What am I meant to do to keep her from talking?"

Carrick shakes his head "I don't know, son. We'll figure something out, though" He pats his son's back and suddenly pulls him into a hug.

Christian froze when he felt his father's arms wrap around him. The only person who had hugged Christian in his adult life was Ana. It was a bizarre feeling to him, and something that was even more bizarre, he hugged his father back. It was the first time he had ever hugged his father or shown him any affection.

"I am not going to let anything bad happen to you or Ana. She is a part of the family now, and I'll do anything to protect this family"

* * *

My day went by excruciatingly slowly. I didn't hear from Christian all day. I knew he was still angry about Elena and that the moment we were alone again we would be discussing it. I didn't feel guilty for what I said to her, but I didn't regret it. Because of what I said, she more than likely went to the press and told them my name. We were in this mess because of me and my big mouth.

It wasn't just Christian and I that we're inconvenienced by the press. Jose called me in the morning demanding to know how our information was leaked. He was poking fingers at one person in particular.

 **"** Jose, no, Christian wouldn't sell our story"

"How do you know that? That article was _very_ informative"

I run a hand through my hair and let out a tired sigh. I was exhausted and it was only twelve in the afternoon. I wish Christian and I could fly to away to an isolated, remote, island and wait for this stupid scandal to pass. I doubted that it would ever go away. I may always be known as the slut who had an affair with Christian Grey.

I turn my attention back to my phone call with Jose. He was the one to call me, surprisingly. I knew that I needed to talk to him to make sure he didn't say anything to the press. I was sure that there were photographers and "reporters" hounding him for information as well. He seemed to believe that Christian was behind the leak.

"It's is fishy, Ana" He continues "Celebrities do this kind of stuff all the time. They leak their stories in order to gain more attention. You don't think it is possible that he organized for paparazzi to be at the beach when you were in the Hamptons? Or he revealed your name and information about our relationship?"

"No!" I shake my head. I was pacing back and forth in the living area since I could not sit still. "Why would he make me out to be some kind of slut and you the victim? That makes no sense. Plus, he doesn't need to sell our story. He has better things to do with his time. He hates this just as much as we do. He hates having his privacy invaded, so why would he talk to the press?"

"I don't know…"

"I promise you, he wouldn't do something like that"

"Then who did!?" He demanded "I am stuck inside with the curtains drawn because there are five reporters outside. I tried to go into work earlier, and there were even more reporters there. I had to close the store at nine in the morning!"

"Can you stay somewhere else? You could get a hotel room, or you could call Allister and stay with him. I am sure he won't mind-"

Jose huffs "He and I aren't exactly talking…"

I didn't want to be intrusive or rude, so I didn't ask what happened.

"He…Ahhh…" Jose uncomfortably clears his throat "He wasn't willing to wait for me to figure myself out. He told me that I had to either come out, or leave him alone. He was sick of waiting for me. We haven't spoken since I was in hospital, so I doubt he'd let me sleep on his couch"

It didn't surprise me that Allister walked away from him. Allister Kamp was a proud gay man, He had tried for years to help Jose and it was always thrown back in his face. He was fed up and over trying to help. There was only so much that he could do, the rest was up to Jose. Their problems mirrored the ones I had when married to Jose.

"I'll get a hotel room or something" Jose tells me. "This should die down soon, shouldn't it?"

"I hope so. Listen, I need you to not say anything to the press. They will try and offer you a lot of money to speak on the issue. Please tell me that you will not say anything. It will only make things worse for us"

"I won't. You need to promise me that you won't say anything either. I don't want tomorrow's headline to be _Anastasia Rodriguez's Homo husband_ "

"You know that I would never do that"

After my phone call with Jose, I tried to call my father for the third time today and he didn't answer. I wasn't sure if he was ignoring my calls or just too busy to talk. I really hoped it was the latter. I hoped that he hadn't seen anything about me on TV or online. I wanted to be the first one to tell him. I had a bad feeling that he knew the truth and was ignoring my calls.

I was grateful when Kate came over at one in the afternoon. She brought a tub of Ben & Jerrys ice-cream. It was my favourite cookies and cream flavour. She also brought my favourite boxed wine that we would drink in college. We curled up on the lounge with a large glass each. I did find it suspicious that she was with me at one O'clock on a Monday instead of at work. I didn't push the subject though.

"I can't imagine how it would feel to be the centre of the biggest news story of the day"

"It must be a slow news day" I murmured as I took another sip of the wine. "

"I hope you're not paying attention to what the trolls are saying. Their comments mean nothing"

I roll my eyes "That is easy to say when it's not you that people are talking about"

Kate quickly sits up and places her wine on the glass coffee table. She reaches across the lounge and takes my hands in hers. She looks me in the eyes and tells me "They don't know you, and they don't know the relationship you have with Christian. They don't know how miserable you were in your marriage and how Jose treated you. All they see is a headline and base their opinion off of that"

"I know" I whisper "But it still hurts to be called a slut, or trash, or a self-cantered bitch. I wish there was a way that I could make people understand. I am not going to tell the world that Jose is gay or that he is suffering from severe depression. If I want to be with Christian, then this is what I have to live with. I have to accept that"

"No you don't. They shouldn't be allowed to write that stuff about you. I bet they are all mature aged women with five kids hanging off them. Their husbands are all at work, probably fucking their secretaries. They have nothing better to do with their lives than to put down younger, hotter, women-"

"Kate, I'll be fine!"

She didn't look like she believed that. I wasn't sure either.

I wanted to change the subject "So, what're you doing not at work? It is the middle of the day"

"Well" She nervously says "I…I may have quit my job"

 _She quit!?_

"Don't freak out" She quickly says "My supervisor wanted me to write a piece on you and Christian. He knew that Elliot and I were once a couple, and so he knows that I am close to the grey family. He basically demanded that I have a piece about you – with information that nobody else has – written by midday. I did what he wanted. I wrote a great piece about you and the kind of women you are, but he thought it wouldn't look good to the public to write a _cheater_ in such a good light. He trashed that piece and told me to re-write it and have it on his table by two. I told him he could stick the piece up his ass because I quit"

"Kate…" I shake my head "Why would you do that?"

"Because I refuse to contribute to the trash that is being written about you!"

"I don't want you to lose your job because of me!"

"It's fine" She shrugs her shoulders. She really didn't seem all that torn up about it "Do you remember that job in LA I told you about it, well, they want to fly me down in about five weeks' time to audition with them. If all goes well, I will be the new host of _Pop-Culture-Online_ "

"Oh my god, that is great!"

I sit up and hug her. I could feel the excitement and happiness radiating off her.

We spent the rest of the afternoon laughing. She was able to take my mind off of everything, the bottle of wine helped as well. By the time she left in the late afternoon I was feeling a nice buzz. Kate had to leave when she got a phone call from her furious father. He couldn't believe that his daughter would quit his own company.

Once she was gone, I once again tried to call my father but he didn't answer.

* * *

It was approaching five O'clock and there was still no sign of Christian. I hadn't received a single text or phone call from him. I was driving myself wild with over-thinking. I decided to shut off my brain by running myself a bubble bath in Christian's impressive circular spa-bath. It sat against the large glass windows. There was part of me that felt uneasy about bathing in front of a large window, but then I remembered that the windows were tinted.

I played some music and relaxed in the tub.

My whole body right up to my chin was submerged in the water. I closed my eyes and listened to the calm music. I was so relaxed that I didn't hear the ding from the elevator signalling someone's arrival.

"You look relaxed"

My eyes flew open at the sound of Christian's voice. I quickly sat up in the bubbles and looked up to see Christian leaning against the doorway of the bathroom. My heart sped up when I saw him standing there. He had his arms crossed over his chest as he watched me. I didn't hear him arrive. I had no idea how long he had been standing there and watching me for.

"When did you get home? I didn't hear you come in"

"About five minutes ago. Move forward" He ordered and I followed his instructions. I watched as he walked into the bathroom, undoing the buttons on his shirt as he walked. He dropped his shirt to the wet floor and then pulled down his trousers. He climbed into the bath behind me and pulled me onto his lap. I heard him let out a low groan as his head rolled back and rested against the tiled wall.

"Today has been shit" He rubbed his eyes.

I turn on his lap so that way I can look into his eyes. He looked exhausted. I hated seeing him so tense and tired. I felt bad since this was partially my fault. If I had just walked away from Elena last week, she would not have talked to the press. I wanted to relieve him of some of his pent up frustrations.

I reached for the pale blue soap sitting on the dish behind him. With a smile I began to move it down his shoulders and then down his chest. I could feel him relaxing under my touch.

"I spoke with Jose today. He seemed to think that you were behind the leak, but don't worry I made sure he knew that you weren't. Kate also came over. Guess what, she quit her job. Apparently her boss wanted her to do a piece on us, so, she quit. She is lucky she has an audition for a job in LA lined up-"

"I don't want to talk about Jose or Kate"

"Okay, Mr. Grey, what do you want to talk about?" I smile playfully and press myself against his body.

"Nothing" He growls "I have been talking all day. All I want to do now is be inside you and forget about today"

He kissed me hard and I embraced his kiss. I needed him as well. I needed to shut my brain off for five minutes and just be with him. He could always make my day better. I wrapped my hands in his hair and pulled him in closer. His hands travelled down my body to my breasts. He cupped them in his hands and bent his head down to suck on my nipples.

"Oh" I let out a breathy moan.

I lifted his head up again to meet my lips. His hands continued to travel down my body until they reached my thighs. He pulled me tighter against him and I could feel his hard erection poking at my stomach.

"I need this hard and fast, Baby" He whispered against my lips "We'll take it slow tonight, but I need you right now, like this"

I nodded eagerly and captured his lips in mine again. I shifted on my knees and guided myself onto him. Slowly, I took him inch by inch until there was no more. I could feel every inch of him inside me. It felt different. It was then that I realized that he wasn't wearing a condom. He saw the look on my face and realized the same thing.

"Don't stop" He whispered to me as he began to move his hips.

It was hard to tell him to stop when his movements felt so good. I wanted to feel more of him. I wanted to turn off my brain and just forget about everything. He sat up and his lips came to my neck. There was one sensitive spot just below my ear that when he kissed, made me feel like I was going to melt.

"I'll call the doctor and get you emergency contraceptive in the morning" He tells me as he kisses my neck "I need this, Ana. I don't want there to be any barriers between us"

I wasn't going to tell him to stop. Instead, I placed my hands onto his shoulders and began to raise and lower myself. The water splashed around us and onto the ground as I moved. His eyes stayed locked on mine. I watched the pleasure build in his eyes. I heard the soft moans that came from his lips whenever I squeezed him inside me. I saw the veins in his neck tense whenever I lowered myself as far as I could. Giving him pleasure turned me on just as much as receiving it.

We were both in the zone with our focus only on each other…

" _Christian_!"

I immediately stopped what I was doing at the sound of a woman's impatient voice. His eyes opened wide and he quickly sat up. Our focus was well and truly broken.

"Fuck" He swore loudly as he lifted me off of him.

"Is that Mia?"

"Yep"

"Why is she here?" I whisper

"Fucked if I know!"

He growls in frustration before standing from the water. He steps out of the tub and reaches for a towel to pat himself dry. I exit the tub as well and wrap one of the white towels around my naked and sensitive body. I watch as he quickly pulled up a pair of black pyjama bottoms.

"Stay here" He told me before disappearing out of the room.

I wasn't staying in the bedroom. I dried my body quickly and grabbed the first items of clothing I saw. I put on one of Christian's sleeping shirts. It was an old Harvard shirt from his college days and smelt just like him. I also put on a pair of boxer shorts.

I stepped out of the room just in time to hear him greeting his sister.

* * *

 **So, Carrick now knows about Christian and Elena's past.**

 **Do you think Ray knows about Ana and Christian? How do you think he will react when he finds out?**

 **What will Christian do about Elena?**

 **Review and let me know what you think is going to happen next! :)**


	23. Chapter 23

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

* * *

Chapter 23

"Mia, what're you doing here?"

Christian Grey turned the corner of the hallway and saw his sister standing in the middle of the spacious, open room. She was dressed in a pair of jeans and a loose Seahawks shirt. Her shoulder length hair was pulled back in a ponytail. It was rare for her to look this under-dressed.

She had her arms crossed over her chest and the usual scowl on her face. Whenever he saw her she always seemed to have the same scowl on her once happy face.

She spotted Ana standing behind Christian and her scowl only worsened. She had a problem with Ana because she was Christian's girlfriend, also because she shared the same dark hair and blue eyes as Leila Williams. Ana had been nothing but polite and kind to Mia, but his sister hadn't shown her the same respect. He hadn't expected her to.

Mia's eyes flickered away from Ana and landed back on her brother. "Christian, I want to know why you told Dad that I had to stay away from Elena."

"Mia, I am tired. I don't want to argue about this-"

"I don't know what you did or said to Dad, but I haven't seen him this upset in a long time. He came home and locked himself up in his office. I tried to talk to him, but he didn't want to talk, which is so unlike dad. The only thing he said was _I want you to stay away from Elena_. I know you've said something to him-"

"He is right, Mia. I need you to stop talking to Elena. I believe that she gave the press Ana's name"

"She wouldn't do that"

Christian took a breath and ran his hand through his damp hair. He was counting to ten in his mind and trying his hardest to not snap at his sister. Mia didn't see that though. Instead of listening to her brother, she continued to hound him and ask him more questions, irritating him even more.

"I know Elena!" She exclaims as she takes a step forward "She has been there for all of us, especially me. She has been there for Dad and for you as well. Why would she then go off and tell the press Ana's name? It's not like she did it for money, she has plenty of her own. It makes no sense for her to say something and go against the family. You should have your little Hench men looking into your girlfriend's _husband_!"

"Mia, there is so much you don't know!"

"Then fucking talk to me! You never tell me anything. You all shut me out. You think I am some little girl who doesn't know what she is doing-"

"You are a little girl!" He yells back at her "That's how you act, so that's how we treat you!"

She scoffed as if she were offended or hurt by what Christian said. Her hurt look soon disappeared and was replaced by anger.

"God, you are such an ass! I came here tonight to try and work out why you wanted Elena – who is one of the only real friends I have – out of my life. If you're going to act like an ass, than that is exactly how I'll treat you"

She spun on her heel and began to march towards the elevators. Christian was happy to watch her leave, but when he looked down to Ana, he could see that she was urging him to go after her. He didn't want to go after her and explain himself. He wanted to take Ana to bed, fuck her for a few hours, and get some sleep. Right now he wasn't in the right head space to sit down and have a calm conversation with his sister.

But, Ana kept nudging him towards Mia.

"Talk to her" She hissed at him.

"She doesn't want to talk to me. She hates me"

Ana rolled her eyes; it was something that only irritated Christian more.

"Talk to her. Your relationship will never change if all you do is yell at each other. She came to you for answers, now give them to her"

He couldn't say no to Ana. She was the one person in the world who could make him do something he didn't want to do. All it took was one serious look and arch of her eyebrow to have Christian at her will.

With a groan he started walking towards Mia. He turned back to Ana one last time and whispered to her "You watch, she will storm out again in five minutes"

He approached his sister who was banging her finger against the elevator button. She was tapping her foot as she impatiently waited for the carriage to arrive. She knew Christian was behind her, yet didn't look over her shoulder or say a word to him. That was what their relationship had become. They didn't speak. They preferred to keep each other at arm's length.

This was what Mia wanted; she made that very clear after their mother was killed.

He took a breath before speaking again. "Can we talk?"

She glances back over her shoulder to look at Christian.

"Are you going to tell me the truth?" He nods his head "Fine"

He led her outside onto his balcony. He rarely used this space. It was simple with an L shaped lounge against the high stone railing. There were tall bushes along the railing blocking the view onto the balcony from other sky rises. There was an outdoor kitchen and seating area. The space was meant for entertaining, something Christian never did.

He and his sister sat on the lounge but made sure to keep their distance. When he observed her body language he could see that she was closed off from him. Her knees were turned away and her arms were crossed against her chest. He knew that if she didn't want to listen to what Christian had to say, she would've left already.

"The only person that I can think of that could be behind the leak is Elena-"

"She wouldn't-"

"Mia, would you please just hear me out" He said as calmly as he could. Thankfully she shut her mouth and allowed Christian to continue to speak.

"No one in our family would say something. I know you don't like Kate, but she wouldn't go against Ana's trust. Just today she quit her job because her boss wanted her to write about Ana. Jose – who is Ana's husband – has secrets that I know he would never want the press to find out. He would never put himself in the spotlight and put himself at risk of those secrets coming out. He has a partner who may have said something, but it is unlikely given that they had no idea that Ana would be at my birthday dinner. Ana's mother would never release her own daughter's name. The only other person who knew of our relationship was Elena Lincoln"

"What about Greta?"

Greta was their father's housemaid. He hadn't thought about her being behind the leak. Her crush on Christian was obvious, but that wasn't enough for her to then talk to the media. Was it?

"She was at the party and at your dinner! She has always liked you, Christian"

He shakes his head "She has signed an NDA. She knows what would happen if she spoke to the press. She would lose her job which is what keeps her mother in aged care and looked after. Why would she risk that?"

"The money. She could've been offered a lot to release Ana's name"

It was a stretch, but it was possible.

"No, Elena has more of a reason. She doesn't like Ana. She doesn't like me being close to any female that she doesn't have control over. She has threatened Ana and told her that if she didn't stay away, there would be consequences. I know this woman, Mia. She doesn't have a single kind or loving bone in her body. Everything she does, she does for a reason. She is just like me or at least the man that I was"

Mia took in what Christian told her. She thought it over for a moment and didn't say a word. It was rare for her to be this quiet around Christian. That may be because she was always drinking or drunk whenever she was around her brother.

"Why does she want Ana out of your life?" She asks him "I mean, I know I haven't been nice to her, but I don't think she is a bad person. If she can put up with you than she must be alright"

That made Christian smile "Thanks"

"I think Ana is much more tolerable than Kate, but she didn't have a problem with Kate-"

"Because Kate is not someone who is close to me. I promise you that if I dated Kate – which is a horrible thought – She would've tried to control her by either making her a friend, or an enemy. She knows that she can't make Ana a friend. Ana can see right through her bullshit. The only option she has left is to make Ana fear her"

"But why!? You're not answering my question, Christian-"

"Because Elena and I were once involved with each other!" He snaps at his sister.

"What do you mean you were involved with her?" Mia asks in disbelief. "Like…You dated her or something?"

"She was the one who introduced me to BDSM. I was her Submissive for many years before I became a Dom. Once our relationship ended, she helped me become a Dom. She helped me choose my Sub's and sometimes even trained them for me. My subs either respected Elena or they feared her and what she could do to them. She always had control over them in some way. Ana isn't a Sub, she isn't a naïve young girl, and she can't control her"

Mia was shocked by what her brother told her. Christian expected this kind of reaction from her. Elena and Mia had been close ever since Grace's death. Mia probably believed that Elena was helping her and in some ways she may have helped. The truth was that Elena didn't do anything if it wasn't to benefit her.

Christian wasn't willing to explain that he was underage when he started his relationship with Elena. He didn't want to have that conversation again today.

"I guess it isn't that hard to believe" Mia says "There has always been something dark about her, and she has always been cougar. I swear she had a new boy-toy every month. They would do anything that she wanted. They were like her slaves, it was creepy"

"They would've been her Submissive's"

"Wow…"

"So, I need you to stay away from her. If she calls you I want you to ignore it and tell me. If she emails you or sends a letter, you can't respond. I don't know what she want's with Ana. I don't know if she wants to torment her or actually hurt her-"

The glass door that led out onto the balcony opened. Christian saw Ana standing there with his phone in her hand. She looked delicious to Christian right now. She held his phone up.

"Christian, Taylor is calling. It sounds important"

He had been expecting a call from Taylor all day.

He stood up off the lounge and turned back to his sister one last time. She still looked shocked by what she heard. She seemed upset as well. He wasn't sure how he could comfort her or if she wanted him to. Things were still so awkward between them.

He decided it wasn't a good idea to try and comfort her when things were still so tense. He needed to talk to Taylor. He had been waiting to hear what his security team found out. Mia seemed to pick up on that and stood off the lounge as well.

"I should go. I had plans to meet up with some friends"

"You could stay for dinner?" Ana quickly asks.

Christian could see on his sister's face that she didn't like that idea. Tonight had been the first time in almost a year that they were able to sit down and have a meaningful conversation. That didn't mean their relationship was completely fixed, but it was a start. They still weren't ready to sit down and have a dinner together.

* * *

"Taylor, what do you mean you can't find her!?"

He heard him take a long and deep breath in before answering his boss's question.

"I mean that she hasn't been home all weekend. She has shut down her salon. I spoke with Freddie McGrath-"

Freddie McGrath was her newest Sub. He had an apprenticeship at Elena's salon; of course she seduced him and introduced him to BDSM. The boy wasn't any older than twenty.

"-and he said that Elena terminated their contract on Thursday night. The last person to have seen her was her neighbour Kathleen. She was walking her dog when she saw Elena leave her house early Friday morning. We checked airport security cameras and there was no sign of her there on Friday. We are now checking the bus terminals"

"So, she has done a runner?"

"We believe so, Boss. We were able to get in contact with the website who first published the article. They claim that they received an email on Thursday from a bogus account who gave them the info that they wanted. They were able to find records of Jose being in hospital, as well as their marriage license and divorce papers. They also asked for a comment from you and I told them your comment was fuck off"

"Good"

Elena running away only confirmed his suspicions that she was behind the leak. She knew that Christian would be angry and she ran. She was smart to run. He is not sure if he should be grateful or not that she removed herself from Seattle. He had no idea what she planned to do next.

"I know she has emergency bank accounts. She has the money to start somewhere new. If she is smart, she won't use her credit cards, but I want you to track them anyway. I want security at her house, at her salon, and at her sub's apartment"

"Yes, Boss"

Christian falls back onto his leather desk chair. He let out a tired groan and rubbed his eyes. Today had exhausted him; he was more than ready for it to be over.

"Sir" Taylor speaks up "I believe that Elena was angry and in the heat of the moment said something to the press. It'd be stupid of her to think that she could go against you and your thirty-something-large security team. She knows that she will never get anywhere near Ana"

"Exactly, she will make Ana's life hell in other ways. She has information on my family to ruin all of us, including you. That's my stupid mistake. I should never have trusted her in the first place!"

He hears music begin playing outside of his office. He recognizes it as some pop song that his sister once loved in high school. He could hear Ana's faint voice on the other side of the wall singing along to the lyrics. It brought a smile to Christian's face.

He sat up in his leather chair and addressed Taylor one more time. "I want a full rundown on my desk tomorrow morning. I want to meet with everyone as well. I expect to know where the fuck she is hiding by tomorrow afternoon before I leave"

"Yes, boss" He went to hang up but Taylor stopped him "One more thing!"

"What?"

"I believe that it would be wise to assign security to Mrs. Rodriguez. In case Elena tries something or if Leila were to try something…"

"Yes" Christian agreed "She will never agree to it, though. I want Sawyer assigned to her and I want him to be discreet"

"Yes, I was thinking the same thing. I will get onto it right away"

After hanging up the phone, Christian left his office and met Ana who was beginning to set the table. She offered Christian a happy smile when she saw him approaching. Even though he was in a horrible mood, her happiness made him smile. She was his bright angel that could always make him feel better.

"I hope you're hungry, I just ordered dinner for us" She told him as she reached over the table to set the plates. "I have a serious craving for fried rice!"

He couldn't help but reach out for her and pull her into his body. Her back was firm against his chest and his arms circled her small waist. He breathed in the sweet, vanilla scent of her hair that was tied back in a loose bun. Ana hugged his arms against her stomach.

"What did Taylor want?" She asks him.

"He wanted to update me on Elena. We believe she has skipped town after talking to the press. I just want to know where she is so that way I can keep tabs on her. I need to shut her up somehow"

"Would money persuade her?"

"No" Christian shakes his head "She has enough of her own money. I don't know what the fuck I am meant to do. She has accomplished everything that she wanted to accomplish. She has made your life hell and humiliated you"

"I am sorry"

"What?"

Ana turned around in his arms. Her teeth sank into her bottom lip as she looked up at Christian with worried blue eyes.

"If I had listened to you then we wouldn't be in this mess. I don't regret standing up for myself, but I wish I had handled it better-"

"No, Ana" He gently says as he takes her chin in her hands and tips her head back. "This isn't your fault. She has had it out for you from the start. No matter what we did, she would've always tried to get between us. I now see how stupid I was that I ever believed I could trust her…"

She smiles and scrunches up her adorable little nose. "It was a little stupid"

She was the only person who could call Christian stupid and get away with it.

He tipped her head back and lowered his lips onto hers. She rose onto the tips of her toes to wrap her hand in his hair. He wanted to bend her over the dining table and fuck her until room service arrived, but she had other plans. She pulled away from the kiss before things became too heated.

Their dinner arrived only twenty minutes later. Christian poured them each a glass of wine and served the food. He liked setting the table for dinner, and he liked cooking – even if he wasn't great at it. He liked the domestic side of him that Ana brought out.

As they ate, he began to tell her about their day. He started with his phone call with Elliot, and then his meeting with his PR people. Slowly he worked his way up to telling her about his conversation with his father. She listened to his every word and didn't say anything until after he was finished speaking. Even then she was silent for a moment while she took in his words.

"Wow" She whispered "So, he now knows everything?"

Christian nods his head "Yep"

"That explains why Mia said he was so upset this evening. How did he take it?"

"He didn't take it well. He called himself a failure and blamed himself. He thinks like you do, he believes that Elena took advantage of me-"

"She did"

Christian took a breath before speaking again "I also told Mia tonight. She kept asking why she needed to stay away from Elena, so I had to tell her. I guess I am going to have to tell Elliot as well, though, it wouldn't surprise me if he already knew"

"It is better that they know, Christian"

"It's strange" He says "This is the first time in my life that I have absolutely no secrets from them. They know everything"

Ana smiled "It must feel good to have nothing holding you back from them"

"It does" He nods "But, there has been so much has happened that I don't know if we can come back from"

She stands up and walks around the table to sit herself down on Christian's lap. Her arms circled his neck and her legs crossed on his lap. "They love you. I think you'd be surprised if you tried to reconnect with them"

He begins to nuzzle into her neck. "I don't want to talk about this anymore. Let's end tonight on a high note"

She nods her head "That sounds like a great idea" She jumps off his lap and grasps his hand in hers. She begins to lead him down the hall to the bedroom.

* * *

I was dreaming of Christian being naked and glistening wet on our own private island. The dream was perfect. There was no Elena or Jose ruining our time together, it was just us. I was reclining on the warm sand with a margarita in my hand while I watched Christian as he emerged from the clear water. He didn't even need to be touching me to turn me on, watching him was enough for me.

He walked up the sand and straight towards me. He moved the drink from my hand and roughly cupped my face in his hands. He kissed me hard and with passion. He whispered something in my ear that I didn't understand.

The dream was just starting to heat up when I was woken by my phone.

I could hear it ringing from somewhere in the bright room. I quickly opened my eyes and was blinded by the sunlight. I tried to sit up but Christian's warm and heavy body was covering me and holding me down. He was laying half on top of my back with one thick arm wrapped around my body. His leg was wrapped around mine. I managed to push him off me and he began to wake up. I quickly reached for my loud phone on the bedside table.

I squinted my eyes as I tried to read the bright screen. It was difficult since I was still half-asleep. Once I finally made out the name on the screen, I felt my stomach sink. "Oh… _Shit_ "

"What?" Christian grumbled in his husky morning voice. He lifted his head up off the pillow "Who is calling this early in the morning-"

"Sssh" I hushed him by covering his mouth with my hand. "It is my Dad"

Christian groaned and let his head fall back on the pillow. He wasn't ready to wake up. I climbed out of the bed and grabbed his shirt to cover my body. I took a calming breath before answering the phone.

"Hey, Daddy" I said as cheerfully as I could.

My heart was beating at a million miles an hour against my chest. I had been so nervous to talk to my father. I had no idea if he knew about Christian or not. I had no idea how he would take the news.

"Anastasia-"

He used my full name, that wasn't a good sign.

"-I am coming into the city today. I would like to see you. I thought we could grab some lunch together"

"Okay"

"I would also like it if Grey were to join us. I would like to meet my daughter's _boyfriend_ , considering all I have heard about him is what the media is telling me"

 _Shit_ , he knew.

"Daddy, I am so sorry that I didn't say something sooner. I was trying to wait for the right time to introduce you to Christian. Everything has been so hectic lately; there hasn't been a good time. We didn't want the press to find out. I didn't want you to find out because of some stupid article! I tried to call you and tell you myself but you weren't picking up. I am sorry-"

"Stop apologizing" He interrupted my rambling. "Will you be able to meet me for lunch?"

"Yes, ahh, just tell me when"

We organized a time and place to meet for lunch before hanging up. We were going to meet at a quiet restaurant near Pike Place Market at twelve. I already felt sick just thinking about it. My father was a reasonable man; he was laid-back and easy to get along with. He may have no problem with Christian and me dating, but he also may not like his daughter being with a man like Christian Grey.

I didn't know what to expect.

I turn around to face Christian again. He was sitting in the bed with the dark sheets pulling around his waist. There was a worried look on his face as he watched me.

"Does he know?" He asks me.

I nod my head.

"Did he take it well?"

I shrug my shoulders.

"Was he angry?"

"I don't know" I whisper. I climbed onto the bed and crawled into his lap. I was small enough to curl up against his chest. His arms immediately wrapped around me and held me. "He sounded _too_ calm to be angry. He used my full name, which he only does when he is angry with me. He never calls me Anastasia unless I am in trouble"

"Maybe you're reading too much into it?"

"Maybe" I say. I look up into his grey eyes. "He is coming into the city to have lunch with me and he asked to meet you-"

A look of panic crossed his face. I didn't blame him for being panicked.

"-I kind of agreed that you would be there. I get it if you don't want to. You're busy and you have a lot going on right now. You probably can't take an hour out of your day to-"

"I'll be there"

"Christian…"

He smiled and brushed the hair off of my face. The look of panic had disappeared off his face. I knew better than to think he wasn't scared. He was just trying to put on a brave face for me.

"I will be there, Ana. I need to meet Ray; I do plan on marrying his daughter one day. If I ever want to do that then I have to ask for his permission first"

"Oh my god" I shake my head quickly "Please, do not ask him for permission today! I am serious, Christian. You need to be on your best behaviour"

"Okay" He smiles "I am only joking…Kind of…"

"This is not going to go well…"

"Hey" He takes my face in his hands "Everything is going to be fine, Ana. You tell me when and where we are going to meet him and I will be there. I know how important your father is, and I want us to get along. Okay?"

I take a deep breath and nod my head. "Okay"

God, I was nervous.

* * *

I was a nervous wreck all morning. Christian came home from work at eleven to pick me up. Before we left I made him change out of his suit and into something more casual. I chose a pair of jeans and a simple red plaid shirt for him. He needed to look as if he weren't flaunting his wealth. He looked just as attractive and good in casual clothes as he did in a suit. I may be over-thinking or over-acting, but I wanted to make sure that Christian left a good impression on my father.

As we rode the elevator down to the underground parking, I decided to check my phone. I saw that I had numerous unread emails waiting for me. Most of them were from media outlets asking for a response to the article. I had no idea how they even got my email address.

There was one that stood out to me and made my heartbeat speed up. There was an email from _Michaelson's Publishing_ that was sent early in the morning.

* * *

 _Dear Mrs. Anastasia Rodriguez,_

 _Thank you for meeting with us on such short notice. We were impressed by your qualifications, skills and eagerness to work for our company. We sadly must decline your proposition. We believe that your public life will not fit in with our company image. We have had a competitive pool of candidates and have had to make some hard decisions._

 _We have no doubt you will be an asset to the right organization and we wish you luck in your job search._

 _Thank you,  
Chief of staff, Lucy Smith._

* * *

"I am not going to London…"

"What?" Christian's head snaps in my direction.

"I…I have an email from _Michaelson's Publishing_. They didn't choose me. I am not going to London…"

Christian wasn't sure if he should rejoice or act upset by the news. I knew that he didn't really want me to leave; he also didn't want to hold me back. I wasn't sure if I should rejoice or be upset either. I had been conflicted between wanting to follow my career, and wanting to follow my heart. I guess the decision had been made for me, I was staying in Seattle.

Christian's face falls "I am sorry" He says quietly "I know how badly you wanted that internship. They're idiots for not hiring you-"

"I am fine, Christian" I say with a friendly smile on my lips. "I knew I was never going to move half way across the world from you, it was just a fun daydream"

The elevator doors opened to reveal the underground car parking lot. He placed a hand on the small of my back and led me out of the carriage. When I looked up at him, I could see a frown of confusion between his eyebrows.

"But, I thought this was what you wanted, Ana"

"I want you more"

"What about your dream job?"

I stop in my tracks and turn to him. I take his soft flannel shirt in my hands and force him to look me in the eyes. I reach up onto my tippy toes to look into his grey eyes. "Christian" I say "I am fine. I applied for that job before you and I ever became serious. It has always been a dream of mine to see London, but now that I have you in my life, I want to see London _with you_. I have told you this before, you are so much more important to me than that job is"

"I don't want to hold you back…"

I smile and shake my head "You're not. I am actually kind of relieved that I didn't get it. I am relieved that the decision has been made for me. The fact that you were so selfless and accepting of me leaving to peruse my career; that makes me love you so much more"

"Are you really okay with this?"

"Yes!" I say with an exasperated laugh "I am going to be okay, Christian. I am only twenty-three – well, almost twenty-four – I am going to have plenty of opportunities in my lifetime. I am going to be fine"

There was a hopeful, happy, playful glint in his eyes. "Does this mean you'll take the job at SIP?"

"I don't think I am ready to be commissioning editor, maybe there is an assistant job open"

He smirks and playfully smacks my behind "We'll talk about it later. C'mon, I don't want to keep your father waiting"

We decided that I would be driving in my new Audi. The press had no idea what my car looked like so we were able to successfully sneak past them. I was shocked when I saw the photographers waiting outside of the hotel. They were all leaning against the stone wall of the building with their cameras hanging around their neck. Some were checking their phones; others were talking to each other; some even looked to be napping against the wall with their baseball caps covering their face.

We were in the middle of summer with the June heat glaring down onto us. I can't imagine how hot it must be waiting out in the sun for just a picture of Christian and me.

"I don't get it" I tell Christian as I am driving "Why are they waiting out in the heat? It must be exhausting. It's not like they're going to get a picture of us making out and groping each other"

"No, but just a simple headshot of you is worth a lot of money"

I frown "How?"

"Because that is how the business works. The press need photos for the front page of their magazines or websites, the paparazzi takes the photos and then sells them to the press. I have word that a shot of you is worth upwards of twenty grand"

I almost slam on the breaks when I hear that figure.

 _"_ _What? Why?_ "

"Because the only photos they have of you are old photos from your college years or the photos from our day on the beach. In those photos they don't have a shot of your face. The paparazzi would freeze to death in the snow if it meant getting a picture of your face"

I can't wait for the world to forget who I am.

* * *

As I drove to the restaurant my nerves only became worst. I was a horrible over-thinker on the best of days. My imagination was running wild with ideas of how today would pan out. Would my father accept Christian? Will Christian behave? The last time he met one of my parents, he ended up in a fight with them. I don't think my mother liked him very much, but then again I rarely ever saw her so it didn't matter. My father was different; he was an important person in my life.

I pulled up outside the brick establishment. It was a small deli located underneath an apartment building. Beside it was a dry-cleaners and coffee store. I could see my father sitting inside looking around at his surroundings.

I held Christian's hand tightly by my side as we walked inside the restaurant together. I wasn't letting him stray too far away from me. Ray stood when he saw us approaching. My father was dressed in his usual stained jeans and grey shirt. He had a baseball cap covering his hair. He gave me a quick hug hello which settled my nerves. He then turned to Christian and the pair exchanged a firm handshake.

"Ray Steele"

"Christian Grey" He said in what sounded like a firm voice, but I knew better. I could hear the slight quiver in his voice when he shook my father's hand. He was just as nervous as I was. "Ana has told me a lot of great things about you, sir"

"Well this is the first time I am hearing about you. I wish my daughter had said something. I had no idea that she was seeing someone new" My father's disapproving eyes glance my way "Why don't we have a seat?"

We sit down together at the wooden table. I have Christian on my left and my father is sitting opposite me. I can see him looking Christian up and down and trying to size him up. I wondered what he was thinking. Did he see Christian Grey the mega billionaire, or did he see Christian Grey – his daughter's boyfriend.

"Let's just get this out of the way" Ray sits up straight "Is what they're saying online true, Ana, did you leave Jose to peruse a new relationship?"

Did I?

"Daddy, Jose and I were horrible for each other, we both know that. We wanted different things and neither of us were willing to compromise. I knew my relationship was over before I ever met Christian; I just didn't want to admit it. Christian helped me leave him, but he wasn't the only reason why I left"

"And you didn't think to tell me before the press found out?"

"I tried to" I say quietly. "I tried calling you yesterday to talk to you, but you weren't picking up the phone and with everything that happened with Jose, there was never a good time for me to tell you about Christian. I really am sorry. I wasn't trying to hide anything from you…"

Ray didn't look convinced by that and Christian noticed. "Mr. Steele, I know things aren't exactly conventional between Ana and I. We haven't known each other long-"

"How long _have_ you known my daughter for?" Ray looks between us.

"About eight weeks"

"How did you two even meet?" He asks "Mr. Grey, I don't mean to offend you but you don't seem like the kind of man my daughter would spend time with"

"Ana and I met when I shopped at the hardware store. I saw that she and her husband were having financial issues and offered to help. I needed a date for an event and I was willing to pay her for her services-"

" _You what!?"_ He was horrified by what Christian was saying. It did sound bad. It sounded like I was prostituted out for the night.

" _No, not like that!"_ Christian quickly adds "It was strictly professional and there was nothing sexual or romantic about it. After that night we realized we had feelings for each other. Our romantic relationship started once Ana had left Jose. I know that this has come as a shock for you, Sir; I know that you have a close relationship with Jose and I am probably not your favourite person right now, but I am crazily in love with your daughter. I was captivated by her the first time I ever saw her and she continues to captivate me more and more every day. Sir, she isn't a fling or just a hook up to me, she is the woman I see myself marrying and one day even having children with"

I can see the expression on my father's face softening. He didn't seem quite as tense and angry as he was before. I reach under the table to find Christian's hand and wrap my fingers around his.

"I haven't been this happy in a long time, dad" I explain to him. "Since I left Jose, I have re-connected with Kate, I have applied for jobs and I may have one here in Seattle. Not only that but I have fallen in love with a man who makes me feel so loved and adored every single day"

"Annie, I am happy as long as you're happy, you know that. I am just trying to wrap my head around this" He says "I assume that Jose knows about this relationship, is that way he over-dosed?"

I wasn't sure what I wanted to tell him. I was conflicted with wanting to tell him the truth, and also wanting to respect Jose's privacy. I knew that I would never talk to the press and tell them the reason my marriage broke down. If I were to tell them that he was gay, the media would only dig deeper into my private life.

My father was different; he wouldn't judge Jose or dig for more information. I could trust him.

"He knows that Christian and I are together. That wasn't the only reason he put himself in hospital. He has been struggling with his father's death and also his sexuality. He is gay, Dad"

"Jose?" His eyes widened in shock "I have known the boy for years…"

"He is gay. He married me because he was in denial about it, he still is. He thought that as long as we were together and planning a future together, his father would be proud of him. Everything he does, he does it because he wants to make his father proud. That was what ruined our marriage"

My dad was shocked by what I said and didn't know how to respond at first. He opened his mouth to speak but then changed his mind and shook his head. "I just…he doesn't seem like the type who would be interested in _that_. He is not a very feminine or flamboyant man. He has always been conservative. Are you sure that he is?"

"Yes"

"Did you catch him with a man?"

"He told me himself, Dad. I found out when he was in hospital. The pressure of trying to make his father proud became too much for him and he wanted to end it. I was willing to stay by his side and help him through his depression. I would've put the divorce on hold until he was in a better place, but he refused to seek help for his depression. There is nothing more I can do to help him because he doesn't want help. I know mum doesn't approve of me moving on with Christian, and you may not either, but I have nothing left to give to Jose"

"Annie" He reaches across the table and grasps my hand "I understand why you want a divorce. I don't blame you for that. As a father it is hard to see my daughter's character being ruined on national papers and magazines. I don't want you to be known as the woman who had an affair. I don't want you to be known as just Christian Grey's girlfriend"

"I won't be. One day people will forget who I am"

"I don't think they will" Ray's eyes glance Christian's way.

As hard as he tried to hide it, I could see on his face that he wasn't okay with Christian. Whether it was his wealth; his public-life; the fact that I started a relationship with him while I was still married; or that I was his little girl and no man would be good enough in his eyes; my father still had reservations about us dating.

"A lot has happened in the past twenty-four hours" He explains to me. He stands up from the table and both Christian and I follow. "I need some time to process everything. It is a lot for one man to take in. I'll…umm…I'll call you on the weekend"

After we said our goodbyes, he left to return to work. Christian and I stayed behind in the quiet deli. He was running his hand up and down my back in an effort to comfort me. I didn't need comforting, I felt surprisingly calm. I had been expecting my father to freak out about Christian and I's relationship, but he didn't. I expected Christian to say something about him proposing to me or moving in together, but he didn't.

In time my father would accept Christian.

"Are you okay?" He asked me.

"Yeah, I'll be fine" I say with a small smile on my lips. I turn my head to face him and capture his lips in a gentle, sweet kiss. "Thankyou"

"For what?"

"For behaving" I smile so he knows I am only kidding "And for coming here today. I know it doesn't seem like it but he will come around to the idea of us being together"

"You're his little girl, Ana. I don't know any father that would want their precious daughter with someone like me. I certainly wouldn't. The thought of my future daughter marrying a man like me terrifies me" He shudders.

"Really? You wouldn't want her with someone protective, loyal, loving, affectionate, selfless-"

"That sounds nothing like me"

I shake my head at him at him. I reach for my handbag and go to stand from the table but he quickly grabs my hand and pulls me back down. "No" He tells me "We're staying here"

"Don't you have to get back to work?"

"Nope" He grabs a menu and begins to read it. "I am going to order us lunch and we are going to enjoy these last few moments of privacy we have before returning home. Then once we get home we are going to pack our bags and then we are going to London"

" _What_?"

"We. Are. Going. To. London"

I smile "What about work?"

"I already planned to have the next five days off to take you to London. I was going to take you to look for an apartment. It was going to be an early birthday gift for you. Even though you won't be working over there, I still want to take you. No one gives a shit who I am in the UK. By the time we return to America, the scandal will have blown over"

Spending five days in a city that I have always dreamt of visiting with Christian sounded like a dream come true.

"What about my work? Shouldn't I focus on interviewing for SIP and-"

"And we will figure it out after five days of rest" He tells me. "You can't talk your way out of this, Ana. We are going to London. I have already organized everything"

A happy, excited smile spreads over my face. I must be smiling like an idiot. I am going to London! I am spending five days with Christian Grey and I will have him all to myself. No press. No paparazzi. No Elena. We'll be on the other side of the world away from everyone else.

"I can't wait!"

* * *

 **Wow, that was a long chapter, so...**

 **Mia and Christian are becoming closer.**

 **Elena has skipped town.**

 **Ana didn't get the job in London. (I did promise a HEA didn't I?)**

 **Ray knows about Ana and Christian's relationship and that Jose is gay.**

 **AND Ana and Christian are going to London!**

 **The next chapter will be set about a month into the future. I think there will be about ten more chapters left of this story. I will focus on Elena. Christian re-connecting with his family. Ana starting her new job (I wonder what it will be?) and her divorce. Plus the possible engagement between Christian and Ana.**

 **Review and let me know what you think is going to happen next! :)**


	24. Chapter 24

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed**

* * *

Chapter 24

 ** _One month later._**

"What do you mean you won't be home until Friday morning?"

I stand in the bright kitchen on the sunny Wednesday morning. It was only eight-thirty in the morning and I could already tell that it was going to be warm today. I was regretting my choice in stockings but I knew I didn't have time to change. I didn't even have time to eat breakfast.

"I know" I hear Christian's tired voice on the other end of the line "I hate it just as much as you do, baby. I thought I would be home by today but something else came up. I am sorry"

I had woken up on Monday morning to Christian already dressed in his suit. It was unlike him to get up and ready before me. He would usually wake me up with a classic Christian Grey wakeup call to get me ready for the day. Ever since we returned home from London and moved into our new apartment, we started and ended our day together by making love. It was great.

This was the longest time we had spent apart in the past month, and it sucked. I hated waking up in the morning without him in bed beside me. I found it hard to sleep when he wasn't wrapped around me like a vine. It didn't feel right.

He was a busy man who ran a multi-billion dollar company; I had to accept that sometimes his company would have to come first.

"It is fine" I tell him as I try to pick up my newest manuscript with one hand and place it inside my handbag. "I get it, Christian; you have a job to do. I do expect you home this weekend. You are going to be all mine. No working. No calling Taylor. I want you blindfolded and handcuffed to the bed ready for me whenever I want you"

I hear him laugh through the phone. The heartfelt belly laugh made my body feel warm all over.

"If that is what you want, baby, though I would much prefer to have you blindfolded and handcuffed to the bed at _my_ will. We still have a few more surfaces in the apartment to christen"

I smile at the thought. We only moved into our new apartment two weeks ago. Christian surprised me when we were in London with pictures of a luxury, two bedroom, one study, three bathroom, Seattle apartment that was for rent. I fell in love with it the moment I saw the pictures. The apartment was located in one of the newest Seattle skyscrapers. There was an inbuilt gym, spa, pool, bar, even a dog grooming area. I covered the food and basic utilities, while Christian covered the rent and any extra utilities. If he had it his way he would be paying for everything.

Our apartment was on top floor and was extremely modern with dark wood floors and sleek white walls. It had a black andwhite theme with random pops of colour thrown in, as well as different textures like wood and fake fur (Christian was strongly against real animal fur). It definitely wasn't something that I would choose for myself, but now that I was here, I loved it.

"Nope, you are mine Christian Grey"

"Fine" He gives in with a fake sigh "If it means that much to you, I will be your sex slave for the weekend"

"Oh, you don't have to sound so upset by it; you know I will make it worth your while"

"Fuck" I hear him let out a low groan "I have a meeting that I need to be at in five minutes and I am already rock hard"

I look down to the watch on my wrist and silently curse for running late. "I have ten minutes to walk to work and pick up Faye's coffee. I have to go, Baby. I love you"

"I love you, too" He says softly "I promise I will make it up to you this weekend. I will make everything better, Ana"

We hang up the phone and the happy, bubbly, feeling I felt disappeared once the call was over. Something just didn't feel right. I wasn't sure what it was but his trip to Canada had been so spontaneous and he hadn't really explained what he was doing there. I trusted him completely, but I just couldn't help but feel that there was something he wasn't telling me.

I had to get to work so I couldn't dwell on it any longer.

I grabbed the house keys and a banana. I threw my heavy handbag over my shoulder. It felt like it weighed a tone with the half read manuscript inside. I had fallen asleep last night on the couch halfway through reading it. I wasn't sure what it was about. It was about a man who died and was now haunting his ex-girlfriend. It was confusing and definitely not the type of story I would usually read. It wasn't my job to decide whether it was any good or not, my job was to take notes for my boss Faye and make her job easier.

I rushed down the busy Seattle sidewalk. I had to dodge dog-walkers, groups of squealy high school girls, pedestrians on bikes, and mother's pushing strollers. _Seattle Independent Publishing_ was only a five minute walk away but I had to stop at my bosses' favourite organic coffee shop. Of course every hipster in the city loved the shop as well which meant there was always a line and always a wait.

As I was waiting for Faye's organic vanilla iced coffee, I could feel my phone vibrating in my bag. There was a part of me that hoped to see Christian's name on the screen. I wanted him to tell me that he was coming home and would be back tonight.

I was just as happy to see Kate's name on the screen.

"Hey, Kate" I greet her "How is Hollywood? Have you met any stars yet?"

"No" I hear her groan

"What's wrong?"

"I just got home"

"I thought you weren't coming home until next Monday?"

"I wasn't but something happened and I had to come home early. Listen, I really need to talk to you. I think I completely destroyed any chance I have of working in Hollywood. Can we meet up later and talk?"

"Yeah, of course, I have a forty minute lunch break at twelve. How about we meet at…" I turn around and look down the Seattle street. There is a small bar and grill across the road. "At the Harvest Bar, it is a block away from Christian and I's apartment"

"Yeah, that sounds good"

We hung up the phone and my name was called to collect Faye's coffee. I continued down the busy Seattle street to _SIP_. As I walked I wondered what could be wrong with Kate, she had been so excited to audition in LA. She thought that hosting a pop-culture show would be her next big move. If she moved to Hollywood, she could get away from her ex-boyfriend Elliot and make something of herself away from the control of her father. She was more than capable of doing it…So what went wrong?

I arrived at work just in time. I passed the receptionist in the front lobby with a friendly smile. I walked up the wide L shaped stairs to the second floor where Faye's office and my desk were located. Her office was right beside _SIP_ 's president Jerry Roach's. I hadn't had many interactions with the man, but from what I could hear through the thin walls…He didn't seem like the kind of man I wanted to talk to.

The minute I step onto the second floor I heard my name being called.

"Ana! You're finally here. C'mon, we have a lot to take care of"

My boss Faye Gillian marched past me, taking the coffee from my hands as she went. She strode towards her office, Roach's young assistant quickly stepped out of Faye's way. She was easily the most confident woman that I had ever met. Her curly dark hair was always pulled back into a messy bun. Her black glasses sat on her birdlike nose. Her dark eyes reminded me of a hawk's intense stare.

She opened her office door and motioned for me to follow her inside. Her office was small and crowded with all kinds of books. It was exactly how I imagined my office would look one day. I took a seat on the armchair opposite her desk while she took a seat in her large office chair.

"So, I have a few notes on the new Manuscript you gave me" I tell her as I reach into my handbag for the manuscript and my notebook. "I managed to read up to chapter five last night-"

"We'll talk about that later" She says. She begins to look through the large stacks of papers on her desk. They looked like more Manuscripts. "I have four new books for you to read-"

 _"_ _Four_?"

Faye's dark eyes glared into mine from over her glasses. Her stare made me want to shrink into my seat and disappear.

"Is that a problem for you?"

"No" I quickly shake my head "It's just…I am not even half way through the last one you gave me"

Faye rolled her eyes at my comment. She was always rolling her eyes and sighing at me.

"Listen, sweetie, I have twenty manuscripts on my desk that I need to get through. I'd say that ninety percent of them are garbage but I still have to read them all just in case one of them is the gem that will save my job. I have Roach breathing down my neck and watching my every move. All the work has been put onto me, Ana. If I don't find a new best-seller before the Christmas season, I lose my job. If I lose my job, so do you. So, I have four new manuscripts to give you. Is that too much for you?"

"No, Ma'am"

"Good"

She picks up a new manuscript and drops it down in front of me with a thud. It looked to be at least five-hundred pages thick. She slammed her hand down onto it and grinned at me. "This should keep you busy…"

The rest of my morning was spent answering Faye's calls and reading more manuscripts. I was anxiously waiting to have my lunch break and meet with Kate. I couldn't stop worrying about her and what may be wrong. She didn't sound right when I talked to her earlier. She didn't sound like the confident, outgoing, Kate that I knew so well.

I read through more of the manuscript that Faye had given me but my mind continued to wander off to Kate and also Christian. The minute my watch said it was midday; I jumped up from my seat and walked to Faye's office. I tapped on the wooden door and waited for her to call me in. I slowly opened the door and peeked inside where she was working. She was typing something on her computer.

"What?"

"I am just letting you know that I am going on my lunch break" I explain to her "I'll have my phone on me if you need me for anything"

She nods her head and turns back to her computer. I assume she has nothing more to say to me so I turn around and go to shut her office door behind me.

"Ana!"

I stop and turn back around to face her.

"Yes?"

"Can I talk to you about something?"

"Okay"

She motions for me to take a seat on one of the armchairs and I follow her silent command. She takes off her glasses and folds her arms on her desk to look at me. I could feel my heart beating hard against my chest as she stared at me.

"I hear rumours and gossip around the office that you're dating Christian Grey? The man who now – for whatever stupid reason – owns this company"

"I don't like talking about my personal life…"

"Is it true?"

We had never had this discussion before. No one in the office dared to ask me about Christian. I assumed that people knew and where too afraid to ask. They were afraid of what he might do if they asked. They didn't want to lose their jobs.

I couldn't lie to my boss about it and I didn't want to continue to hide my relationship with him. The whole world knows that we're dating, all it would take is one quick google search of my name to find out I am the _cheating whore_ who left her suicidal husband. What's the point in trying to hide it?

"Yes, he and I are together"

A smile spreads on her face. I hear her let out a quiet chuckle. "You probably tell him what a horrible bitch I am to work with. I am your evil, mean, boss who gives you too much work to do"

"You're not a horrible boss"

She laughs even more "Oh, sweetie, you have only been here a few weeks. Give it time and you'll quit just like the rest of them…"

"It doesn't matter how horrible you are, he and I don't talk about my work" I confidently explain to her before she has a chance to interrupt me again. "Before I started working here we made a rule that I wouldn't discuss my work troubles with him. I don't want him to come in and try to save the day whenever something goes wrong. I don't want you or Roach to go easy on me because you're afraid of what my boyfriend will do to you. My work life stays here and my private life stays at home. We don't mix the two"

"Hmm…." She nods her head but says nothing more.

She reaches for her glasses and places them on her sharp face. Her attention returns to her computer and I take that as my que to leave. I stand from the armchair and exit her office. I pick up my handbag from my desk and leave to go see Kate.

* * *

"Oh my god, it was horrible, Steele"

She puts her head in her hands from embarrassment and her strawberry blonde hair falls over her shoulders. I just continue to laugh and reach for my mocktail. Kate had ordered our drinks and fries before I arrived today. She had a serious craving for fries and gravy, and since smelling them, so did I.

The bar and grill was mostly empty for twelve O'clock on a Wednesday. There was an older gentleman sitting by the bar reading a newspaper with a tall glass of beer in his hand. There was a group of rowdy work colleagues sitting at a booth not far from Kate and I. They kept glancing over their shoulder and looking our way. They were definitely checking Kate out, most boys did.

"Kate, whatever happened can't have been that bad. Maybe you are reading too much into it and psyching yourself out?"

"No" She quickly shakes her head "It was bad"

"Tell me what happened"

She picks up her mocktail and takes a long drink from it before starting her story. "Well, everything was going great in LA. I met with the producers of the show and we got along really well. They liked my energy and my look. I met with the other girls that were auditing and believe me, they were nothing special. They all looked like they were teenagers. I was the only one there with a degree in communications!"

"So, what went wrong? It sounds like the job was all but guaranteed for you"

"I went in to audition. They wanted me to read the teleprompter – which I aced in college. I was the best in the class when it came to reading off the prompter – and it kept speeding up. I kept loosing where I was reading and I felt as if I was losing control. My head started to spin and I got shivers all over my body. My vision blurred and I couldn't even read the screen. The crew was staring at me and telling me to focus and I just…Vomited"

"Oh, that is bad…"

"Hey" Kate frowns "You're meant to be cheering me up"

I try to hold back my smile "I am sorry"

She takes a breath and another drink from her cocktail. "So, I vomited everywhere. It just happened and I couldn't even stop it. It was all on my shoes and on the green-screen-"

"Okay, Kate, I am eating"

She rolls her eyes "The worst part is that they have video recording of it. I didn't even know what to say to the produces or the crew. I was so embarrassed that I just ran out. I packed my bags and I booked my ticket home. I haven't heard anything from them and I doubt they want the weird girl who froze in the middle of her audition and vomited everywhere. God, I really screwed up. I don't know what happened, I use to be great at reading the teleprompter!"

I reach across the table to try and comfort her. I did feel bad for her. She had been in talks for months to audition and all it took was five minutes for her to mess it up. Kate was always confident; it was strange for her to freak out like that.

"I doubt that you're the first woman to ever have a freak out in an audition"

"It doesn't matter, I completely made a fool of myself and now I have no job. My father is pissed that I quit working for him. He has cut me off from my trust fund and won't answer my calls. There is no way that he will let me work for him again"

"Kate, another opportunity will come up. No one has their whole life figured out at the age of twenty-four"

"I think your boyfriend was a millionaire and had it figured out before it was even legal for him to drink"

"Well, Christian is… _Christian_. He isn't like anyone else"

"That is true" Kate nods and picks up a handful of fries to shovel in her mouth. "Speaking of which, how is money-bags? Is he still in Vancouver?"

"Yep" I sigh.

"You sound like you miss him?"

"Of course I miss him. He was meant to be home last night but apparently there was something else that he had to take care of. I don't know. As long as he is home for the weekend, I'll be happy"

Kate nods her head "Have you heard from Elena?"

I groan just at the mention of her name. The woman made me feel ill.

"No" I shake my head "She is gone and I have no idea where she went. I don't want to know"

Christian had given me permission to tell Kate that he and Elena had a history together. I didn't go into detail about what that history was. Christian had also told his brother about Elena Lincoln and what she did to him. Elliot took it as well as any older brother would. He snapped and wanted to strangle the woman. I didn't blame him, I wanted to as well. Now that Christian had told everyone the truth he was slowly starting to realize the abuse that she inflicted on him as a teenager.

"I don't want to talk about her. I hate wasting time discussing someone as insignificant as her"

"Okay, let's talk about you" Kate grins "How has work been?"

"It's been fine. There is nothing to complain about. I doubt I am going to have a job by the end of the year. With the way book sales have been, I don't see it surviving into the New Year"

"Can't money-bags pump more money into it?"

"He could but the company is barely making a profit, Kate. The Christmas season is coming up and that is when book sales are at their highest. If we don't make a profit after the Christmas season, Christian will have to sell it or close it"

"This is so depressing" Kate says as she looks down to her mocktail "I need a real drink"

"I can't show up to work drunk, but you are more than welcome to have one"

Kate shakes her head "I better not. I am trying to lose this weight I put on since breaking up with Elliot"

"Have you heard from him?"

"Nope" She says "I did stalk his Facebook page the other night and I saw that he was tagged in a picture with some other blonde at a nightclub. The girl looked almost identical to me. Do you know if he is dating someone else? You would tell me if he was, right?"

"Kate…"

"Please, just tell me"

"Kate, I don't want to be put in the middle. I don't know if he is dating anyone, it's not like we hang out. Plus, you two aren't together anymore and you can't expect him to stay single forever. Eventually he is going to move on"

Kate groans and finishes the last of her mocktail with one large gulp. She stands up from the booth and grabs her purse "I've changed my mind, I do want that drink"

I watch as she walks to the bar pouting her lips in pity. I had no doubt that she was still in love with Elliot.

* * *

I woke up on Thursday morning looking for Christian. I reached across our large California king bed for him, but found it cold and empty. I still wasn't use to him being away. There was only one more night before he was home again and then this weekend he would be all mine…I hoped.

There was still something that didn't feel right about Christian being away. It was more than just me missing him, I had a gut feeling that something wasn't right but I didn't know what it was. I had to hope that I was wrong and that Christian was in Vancouver on business, but I couldn't shake the feeling. He had left with little to no warning and now his trip kept being extended. There was something fishy going on.

I reached for the bedside table and searched for my phone. I checked my phone and saw that I still had time to get up, shower, dressed and then walk to work. I wasn't quite ready to get out of bed. I closed my eyes and thought back to our time in London when things had been peaceful and perfect.

 _I had been lying in bed with my laptop sitting on a pillow on top of me. It was a beautiful day here in London and I already had a lot planned for Christian and I. I wanted to see Buckingham Palace and the changing of the guards. I knew Christian didn't want to. He hated being in crowds with other tourists, he much preferred to check out local stores and art galleries. The last art gallery we visited he ended up buying two pieces of art work that I liked._

 _He would put up with all my cliché tourist activities to make me happy._

 _I hear the front door of the apartment open and I know that it is Christian coming home from his morning run. A moment later the bedroom door opens and my sexy man stepped through the door. He was dressed in a pair of loose blue shorts and a grey sweatshirt. His copper hair was sticking to his sweaty forehead._

 _"_ _Good run?"_

 _He pulled his earphones out of his ear and threw his phone across the room onto an armchair. He reached for the hem of his shirt and pulled it up above his head to reveal his glistening abs. He kicked off his sneakers and then crawled onto the bed. He moved my laptop aside and wrapped his hand in the back of my hair. His lips smashed against mine in a passionate kiss that left me breathless._

 _"_ _Wow" I whisper as I look up into his grey eyes. "What was that for?"_

 _"_ _No reason" He smiles "I just love you. I couldn't stop thinking about you and your sexy mouth while I was running. I think I shred five minutes off my time because I couldn't wait to get home to you-" He notices my laptop and a small frown forms on his face "-What are you doing?"_

 _Quickly shut the lid of the laptop before he has a chance to read what was on the screen. "Nothing"_

 _His attention focuses back on me. His lips move down to my neck. I let out a soft moan when I felt his lips on that sensitive spot just below my ear. He knew that if he kissed that special spot then I would be completely at his will. He pulled the blankets away from me to reveal my bare body._

 _"_ _Fuck" He growled as he looked down at my body. "You are so fucking beautiful. You take my breath away and amaze me every single day. I want every single day to be like the past three days. I want to make a home with you. I want to wake up beside you every morning and make love to you. Move in with me, Ana"_

 _I smile and let my hands roam over his muscly shoulders and then down to his strong biceps. I loved the feel of his body; I could touch him like this all day._

 _"_ _We basically do live together, Christian"_

 _"_ _Then let's make it official" His lips return to my neck and start to kiss a path down to my breasts. "I am selling Escala and I don't want to stay in The Fairmont forever. Let's find a brand new apartment"_

 _"_ _Okay"_

 _His head lifted up and his grey eyes look into mine. "Really?" He sounded shocked "I thought it would take more convincing than that"_

 _I laugh "No, let's do it. Let's move in together"_

 _He wrapped his arms around me and quickly turned us until he was lying on his back beneath me. I let out a little squeal as I rolled onto his chest. He pushed my hair off my face and kissed me hard again. I could feel the erection in his pants pushing against my thigh as we kissed._

 _Later in the day we left for Buckingham Palace. We dressed down with me in denim shorts, a striped shirt, and my hair in a high, lose, ponytail. Christian was dressed much the same in a simple, dark blue V-neck, cargo shorts, and a pair of shades covering his handsome grey eyes. Even if there were paparazzi out today they wouldn't notice Christian or I. We blended in with the massive crowd that surrounded the Palace gates._

 _I was grateful that Christian was willing to do this with me. I understood that large crowds like this made him uncomfortable and I would make sure that I more than made it up to him. Tomorrow would be our last day in London so we would spend it doing what he wanted – which was probably spending the whole day in bed…Not that I minded._

 _As I was taking pictures of my surroundings, I felt Christian nudge me to get my attention. "Look at this"_

 _My eyes followed his and I saw a young couple. The man was on his knees with a ring in his hand. His girlfriend was crying with her hand covering her open mouth. I couldn't hear what they were saying but I assumed she said yes to his proposal because a moment later the ring was being placed on her finger._

 _"_ _Aww, how romantic"_

 _Christian huffs "Romantic? They just shared this special moment – that should be just between them – with fifty strangers they don't know. I wouldn't call that romantic"_

 _"_ _I think it is" I rolled my eyes at him, something that he hated. He pinched my behind and I let out a yelp. I quickly slapped his hand away. "They can now forever say that they got engaged in front of Buckingham Palace"_

 _"_ _I don't get it" He shakes his head_

 _"_ _Christian?"_

 _"_ _Hmm"_

 _"_ _Why haven't you asked me to marry you again? You always talk about it and tell me that you want to, but you haven't"_

 _He thinks about it for a moment "I am not going to ask again until I know for sure what the answer will be" He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me into his body. I feel his lips against my forehead. "I am going to marry you, Anastasia. You'll be Mrs. Grey by your twenty-fifth birthday, I promise you that"_

* * *

Eventually, I had to stop my day dreaming and get myself out of bed. I showered; blow dried my hair; and did my makeup for the day. I managed to style my hair into a neat bun which I was sure would fall out by the end of the day. I put on a cream coloured dress with a thin rose gold belt around the waist. I even had time to grab a banana before rushing out the door.

During the elevator ride to the lobby I felt my phone vibrating. I saw that Christian had sent me a text telling me to have a good day. I texted him back telling him the same before placing my phone back into my handbag. The elevator doors opened and I stepped out into the foyer.

I noticed Sawyer standing by the door. He wasn't as sneaky as he and Christian thought he was. Ever since I returned home from London he had been following me around and hiding in the shadows. I knew that Christian had assigned him to protect me and I hadn't said anything to him about it. As long as Sawyer kept his distance, I didn't mind. It made Christian feel better and gave him peace of mind. It also made me feel slightly better since Elena was still out there somewhere.

As I passed him, I gave him a nod and a smile.

I left the building and stepped out into the warm Seattle morning. I still had twenty minutes to get to work, so I was able to stroll and take my time. I pulled out my phone and began to check my emails. I only had spam and junk in my inbox.

"Mrs. Rodriguez?"

I glance up when I hear my name being called. There were two tall, burly looking men approaching me. One of them was much older than the other but still looked just as scary. The one thing that stood out on both of them was their uniform. They were cops.

The older looking man stepped towards me and showed me his badge. "My name is Detective Charles Oliver, this is my partner Thomas Roads"

I looked between them and tried my hardest to keep my composure. I was terrified.

"H-Have I done something wrong?"

The two detectives glanced at each other with knowing looks, which only made me more nervous. I could feel my heart beating hard and fast in my chest.

"We're not here for you, Ma'am" The younger detective tells me. "We're actually looking for your boyfriend – Christian Grey. Is he home?"

 _Christian?_ What do they want with Christian?

The older detective can see my confusion. "We just have a few questions in regards to Elena Lincoln"

I went to ask why they would need to ask Christian about Elena, but I was interrupted by Sawyer. His hand on my arm made me jump. He tried to steer me away from the detectives but I held my ground. I had questions and I wasn't leaving until they were answered.

"Mrs. Rodriguez, I suggest you keep walking. You do not want to be late for-"

"No" I shrug my arm out of his hold and turn back to the officers "I want to know what is going on with Elena" I glance to Sawyer who was shaking his head. He knew what was going on; I was the idiot who had no clue. "Can someone please tell me what is happening right now? Why do you want to talk to my boyfriend about Elena Lincoln-"

"Ma'am" Detective Oliver interrupted me "Your boyfriend has spent the past few days in Vancouver, correct?"

"Yes, how do you know that?"

"Paparazzi snapped photos of him outside of his hotel yesterday morning. Do you know when he will be home?"

"No" I shake my head "What is this about?"

"An old friend of his, Elena Lincoln was found shot dead in her Vancouver hotel room last night…"

" _What?_ "

"We just have a few questions to ask him in regards to her death"

* * *

 _ **Dun dun dun...**_

 **Review and let me know what you think is going to happen next!** **:)**


	25. Chapter 25

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **Please mind any grammar mistakes, I didn't have much time to edit.**

 **Now on with the story...**

* * *

Chapter 25

Did he kill her?

It was the same question that had been running rampant in my mind all morning. I couldn't think about anything else other than the possibility of my boyfriend killing another human being. I had dark fantasies and daydreams of what life would be like without the woman…But I never wished her dead.

Would Christian do that?

Some may say that since I had only known him for three months, I didn't really know him. In some ways I would agree, I was always learning new, surprising things about him. But, he wasn't a killer; at least I didn't think he was. If the public were to ever find out the truth about what happened to his mother, they may judge Christian and see him as the reason for her death. They would judge and condemn the whole Grey family. What if Christian did kill her to protect them?

Elena had known the truth about what happened that day. It wouldn't take much for her to go to the police and say something. I know that had been worrying Christian. There had been many nights when I would wake up and find him not in bed; he would be down the hall in his study catching up on work at one in the morning. He was losing sleep over the woman, maybe one day he had enough and…killed her to shut her up for good...

If that is the case, can I stay with him?

Could I be with a man if I knew he took someone else's life?

" _Anastasia_!"

My head snaps up and I see my boss staring back at me from over her glasses. She lifts one thick eyebrow at me and asks "Do I have your full attention or are you still off with the fairies?"

"Sorry…" I whisper

She runs a hand through her unruly bun and begins to pace back and forth behind her desk. "Now, I have a meeting with Roach at three. I am going to need you to sit in on it and take notes for me. I think he wants to talk about going digital which seems like a pointless idea to me. If you ask me, it would just be a waste of money. We will have to hire a whole new team of tech staff and we barely have the money for that…"

My mind began to wander again.

It can't have been a coincidence that Christian just happened to be in Vancouver on business at the same time that Elena was shot dead in her hotel room in Vancouver. He must have known she was there and that is the reason why he went. It explained why he left so suddenly on Monday morning. He lied to me about it; he told me he was going there for business. Why would he lie if he had nothing to hide?

I found it hard to believe that Christian would hurt her, but all the evidence I had was pointing towards him. All week I had a feeling that something wasn't right with him going to Canada. He was meant to be home the Tuesday night, but something "came up" and he had to extend his trip, then the following night he shot her.

No, I couldn't think like that. I had to wait to hear his side of things.

"…If the man had a brain he would realize that no one is buying supernatural love-stories anymore. The new trend is smutty romance novels. There is a story called _Shades of Black_ that in 2012 sold more copies than the _Harry Potter_ novels. Witches, Wizards, Vampire's, and Werewolves, are no longer popular – Ana, are you listening to a word I am saying?"

I blink back to reality and look up to my frustrated boss. "I am sorry" I repeat.

She lets out an exasperated sigh and flops down onto her office chair. She removes her glasses and begins to rub her dark eyes. "You know" She tells me "I have been working here for twenty years. I was here when we signed our first best-selling author. Then that man-" She points towards Roach's office "-had to come along and drag everyone else down with him. I don't know what to do anymore to save it"

"Well…" I say nervously "I was doing a little bit of research. I don't watch much TV, but I saw that one of the highest rated TV shows on right now is a Medieval, fantasy, drama. It's like _The Lord of the Rings_ , for TV. It has a huge cult following and ever since it has been released book sales in the genre have increased majorly. It wouldn't be a horrible idea to cash in on that craze…"

"Interesting" She nods her head.

It was hard to read her emotions. I had no idea if she was bored with my proposition, or was actually interested in what I was saying. I decided to carefully, and slowly, continue.

"I read the synopsis of one of the manuscripts you gave me and it is a medieval story for young adults. I read the first three chapters last night and I was impressed by it. It is a smart, mature, fantasy, story for teenagers"

"You may be onto something, Ana. Leave it on my desk and I will take a look at it"

She places her glasses back on and turns her attention away from me and to her computer. I understood that as my que to leave. I stood from the armchair. I had one more thing that I wanted to talk to her about.

"Faye, I needed to talk to you about finishing early today-"

"No" She shakes her head "If you had been listening to me before you would have heard me tell you that I am meeting with an author at three. I am going to need you here for that. Whatever it is that is so important that you have to go home for can wait. Is that all?"

I take a deep breath, silently count to ten, force my brightest smile and nod my head. "Yep, that is fine"

As my morning progressed, I received numerous calls from Christian. I had no time to answer them or call him back. He sent me numerous texts demanding that I pick up my phone and call him back. He also informed me that he would be home by this afternoon and that he expected me home tonight. I thought about calling Kate and asking if I could stay with her instead.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to go home.

I wasn't sure how I felt about Elena being dead. I wasn't sure if I should fear Christian or not. I had so many questions and I knew that I had to talk to him in order for those questions to be answered. If he did do what I thought he had…I didn't want to talk to him.

I decided to work through my lunch break. I made myself a coffee to give me the energy I needed to read through one of the manuscripts and made myself comfortable at my desk. As I was reading, my phone began to ring in my handbag. I knew it was Christian calling me before I even looked at the screen.

I stood from my chair and sneakily made my way towards the bathroom at the end of the hall. I almost made it to the bathroom, but Roach's young assistant stopped me in my tracks. She threw open his office door and marched out.

"I quit!" She calls back to him "You are an asshole, Jerry. You have no idea how much work I put into this place and _this_ is how you treat me. Screw you and-"

She stopped in her tracks when she saw me awkwardly standing there. She quickly wiped her tears off her cheeks and composed herself again. The door to Roach's office swung shut. He obviously didn't care enough for her to come after her and comfort her.

"Sorry" She tells me and steps aside to let me pass. "You know, you're lucky that you have a boss like Faye. She may be tough but at least she is nothing like that jerk. There is only so much that you can put up with, you know?"

I did know. I lived it for two years.

I barely knew this girl, I had never talked to before, and we had only ever passed each other in the hall or sat in on meetings together. I didn't even know her name. I felt for her, though. I would hate working for a man like Roach as well.

There was also a small part of me that was happy she quit…

With her gone that meant the position was open for someone else…and I knew someone who needed a job.

I continue on my path to the bathroom. I unlock my phone and see that I have five missed calls from Christian. I begin to dial his number just as my hand reached the doorhandle. I placed my phone to my ear and-

" _Ana_!"

 _No…_

I quickly hang up the phone and turn around to face Faye at the end of the hall waving me back into her office. "I want to have a word with you. I need your opinion on something!"

Christian was going to have to wait.

* * *

I didn't make it home until seven at night. I was already exhausted and I knew what was waiting for me when I got home.

I stepped off the elevator and walked down the corridor to the double doors that led into Christian and I's apartment. I searched for my keys in my handbag and stopped outside the doors. I took a moment to breathe.

I loved Christian, but I couldn't be with him if he killed another human…No matter how vile and disgusting that human was. I would never be able to forget it or be able to move on from it. I had told him many times that it would take a lot for me to run, well, this was something I would run from.

I went to put my key in the lock but found the door already unlocked. That meant Christian was home. I opened the door and quietly slipped inside. Once inside I found my living room filled with people and all eyes were on me.

Taylor and Sawyer stood towards the back of the room standing straight and ready for action. Elliot was leaning over the white couch in his dirty work wear. Mia was sat in one of the armchairs nervously picking at her pink manicured nails. Carrick was sitting on the lounge in his smart suit rubbing his hand though his grey hair. They all stared at me as I stepped inside.

The only one who didn't turn was Christian. He had his back to them. He was bracing himself against the modern fireplace with his head hung low.

"Ana" Carrick acknowledged me.

Christian turned around at the sound of my name. No matter how I was feeling, when his grey eyes met mine, I felt shivers race all over my body. My body had always and would always react this way to him, no matter what he had done.

"Ana, you're home" He said with a breath of relief as he swiftly made his way across the living area to me. His arms wrapped tightly around me as he pulled me in closer to his body. "I have been so worried" He pulls away from the embrace to look me in the eyes "Why didn't you answer my calls or my texts?"

"I was working"

"So? If anyone had a problem with it you should've told them you were speaking to your boss. Fuck, do you have any idea how worried I was today?"

"Sorry" I say as I step away from him. I place my handbag on the glass dining table.

"Did the cops try to talk to you?" Mia asked me in her usual aggressive tone. I nodded my head to answer her question. "What did you tell them?"

"I answered their questions. They wanted to know if Christian was home. I told them no. I asked why they were looking for him and they informed me that Elena Lincoln had been _killed_ -" My eyes darted to Christian to judge his reaction. He remained stoic. "-and then I went to work. They didn't approach me again"

"Good" Carrick nods his head "I don't want you talking to the police unless you have a lawyer present. It is best that you do not answer their questions until we know exactly what they're trying to find out. If for whatever reason they call you into questioning, I want you to call me, Ana"

"Do we know if she was murdered or if it was a suicide?" I ask them. I looked to Christian for answers, but Carrick was the one to answer me.

"We don't know yet. All we know is that on Wednesday night Elena Lincoln was shot. The police have to investigate her death whether it was a suicide or a murder"

It was then that I realized the gravity of the situation. Carrick wasn't only nervous because of Christian's involvement in her death, but also because the police would be looking into Christian's life. They had hid Grace's death well from the public and created a convincing story to feed to people, that didn't make them invincible, though. Carrick knew that.

I feel Christian's hand on my lower back. His warm, gentle, touch makes me jump.

"If you'll excuse us" He says in a tight voice "Ana and I need to talk"

He guided me out of the busy room and down the hall to the master bedroom that we shared. He reached out and opened the double doors that led into the room. The moment we were both inside, I shrugged out of his hold. He shut and locked the door behind him. The moment I heard it click shut, I turned to him

"When were you going to tell me that Elena was in Vancouver!?" I snap at him "That is why you went to Vancouver, isn't it?

"Ana…" He tried to calm me down.

"You went to see her, didn't you!?"

"Yes" He says in a tight, low voice. "I knew she was in Vancouver and I went to see her. I was going to tell you when I returned home. I just…I didn't want you to worry-"

"Did you kill her?"

He freezes. For a moment he looks hurt by what I asked. I hated having to ask him, but I needed to know the truth. Deep down, I knew he could never do such a thing, but I was a horrible over-thinker on the best of days.

"Do you think I would, Ana?"

"No…" I whisper to him "I hope not, at least. I just need the truth from you, Christian. Did you kill her or not?"

"No! Fuck, no!"

He storms towards me. I could see all the hurt had disappeared from his eyes and had been replaced by a passionate, burning, anger. The way he was looking at me made me nervous. I wasn't sure if he was going to yell at me or kiss me.

"Do you think that little of me? Do you think I would resort to killing her to get rid of her? Do you think I want that blood on my hands when I already carry around so much guilt!?"

"No, but can't you see how suspicious you look right now. I know that you would go to great lengths to protect your family, and to protect me. You hadn't told me anything, so my mind made things up for me. Can you blame me for thinking that maybe you had shot her to shut her up for good?" I could see the anger and tension rising in his body. "Besides, you lied to me. You told me you were going there for a business trip-"

"I didn't want you to worry!"

"Well, you lying about it makes you look even guiltier!"

He can be so infuriating sometimes.

"Did you go to her hotel room? Were you with her on Wednesday night? You need to tell me something, Christian!"

"I received word that Elena was in Vancouver. I left as soon as it was confirmed that she was there. I sent word to her that I wanted to meet her. On Wednesday morning I met her at a local park and told her that if she ever came near you, or my family, I would go to the authorities and tell them what she has done to me and many other young boys. She left after that. The next thing I heard, she was dead in her hotel room and police were asking where I was. That's all that fucking happened"

"You should've told me you were going to speak to her"

"For fuck's sake, Ana!" His hands ran through his hair as he let out an exasperated sigh. "I am _fucking_ sorry that I didn't want you to worry. I am so _fucking_ sorry that I was trying to look out for you!"

"You're a jerk!" I throw my arms up in defeat and head towards the bathroom "We're getting nowhere with this conversation. I need to shower-"

I barely make it a step before his hand is wrapped around my wrist and he pulls me back to him. My body hits his with a thud and before I know it, his lips crash down onto mine. He kisses me hard, forcing my mouth open with his. I place my hands against his chest and try to push him off of me. He isn't budging, and truthfully, I don't want him to stop. I give in to the kiss and jump up onto my tippy toes to press my lips harder to his. My hand fists in his hair to pull him in closer.

"Christian…" I meekly say as his lips move to my neck. He finds that one sensitive spot bellow my ear. Being away from him for three days only made me more sensitive. His hands glide up my smooth stockings and under my dress. The feel of his hand on my body caused the softest moan to escape my lips.

I needed him.

We also had a room full of people just down the hall and a lot to talk about. Sex was not going to help this situation. But, it felt so good…

"We shouldn't…" I try to tell him "…We need to talk"

"We're frustrated. Tense. Angry. And Horny. Sex is exactly what we need"

He lifted me up by the waist and threw me back onto the bed. He wrapped his hands around my thighs and pulled me down to the edge of the bed. He cupped my face in his large, strong hands and kissed me. His tongue forced its way inside my mouth and I accepted it. I was over fighting him. I wrapped my hands in his soft, copper, locks and kissed him with everything I had.

Truthfully, the only thing I had wanted today was for him to wrap his arms around me and tell me that it was going to be alright.

His lips never left mine as he yanked my cream dress above my hips. His hands guided up and under the hem of the dress. In one quick, swift, motion he yanked my stockings and panties down my legs. His erection rubbed against me, causing a muffled moan to escape my lips. I wasn't sure if it was because of our separation or our anger, maybe it was both, but we couldn't get enough of each other. I grabbed at his button down shirt. I wanted more of him. I freed the black belt from around his trim hips and then pulled down the zipper of his trousers. I dug my hand into his boxers and found his waiting erection.

"Fuck, Christian" I gasp for breath "You can make me so angry…"

He roughly cupped my hot, wanting, sex in his hand. I moaned out at the feel of his hand against my bare flesh. I tried to raise my hips up to rub against the palm of his hand, but his firm body pinned me to the bed. I was unable to move. He held my chin in his strong hand. He kissed the corner of my mouth, I tried to turn my head to capture his lips with mine, but he held me tightly. His lips were only a breath away from mine but he wasn't kissing me. I tried to lift myself off the bed, but his body held me down.

"You drive me insane, Anastasia. You always have"

He grabbed a pillow off the bed and shoved it beneath my hips. In one hard, deep, thrust, he was once again inside me. He didn't give me any time to accommodate to his size. The full, stretching sensation only turned me on more.

"Yes…" I moaned.

We didn't care for slow, sweet, tender, love-making. His hips repeatedly pumped inside me in quick, short, thrusts. I was struggling to keep quiet. Whenever I became loud again, Christian's mouth returned to mine to shut me up. I could already feel myself beginning to quiver around him. I had been ready for him the moment I saw him tonight.

"You always feel so fucking good. Fuck, I have missed you" He breathes out in a rugged, coarse breath.

Suddenly, he pulled out of me. He quickly turned me onto my stomach. His hands wrap around my hips and pull me down onto my knees on the floor. I let out a gasp as I feel him fill me once again from behind. In this position he was so deep inside me. He wraps his arms around my waist and with his chest against my back, he fucks me with a vengeance. I have to burry my head into the pillow on the bed to stop my moans and whimpers from being carried into the next room.

"That's it, Baby" He pants against my shoulder. He was pushing towards his orgasm. "I can feel you tightening around me. You're so close. C'mon, Baby, cum for me"

I couldn't stop it or hold back. My body tensed before completely letting go to him. "God, Christian" I gasped. I trembled beneath him and tried my hardest to muffle my moans with the pillow. He continued to fuck me, his pace only quickened as he raced to his orgasm.

"Ana…" He called my name loudly. His grip on me tightened and a moment later he shuddered above me. I could feel him cum inside me, it was a new sensation that I had grown to love since starting the pill.

He fell forward with his forehead rested against my shoulder. We were both breathless and painting as we both came to our senses.

"I am sorry" He whispered to me. His lips began to gently kiss down the back of my neck "I should've told you why I was going to Vancouver. I only wanted to protect you, Ana. That is all I ever want to do…"

"You can't lie to me, Christian. Lying to me is the quickest way to lose me"

He pulls out from me and turns me around to face him. "Are we okay now?"

I nod my head. I take his smooth, shaven face in my hands and kiss his lips softly. "We're okay" I tell him. I give him a smile to try to set him at ease. I stand up from the wooden ground. "I desperately need a shower. I want to wash this horrible day off of me"

Before I walk away, Christian grasps my hand in his. He brings it to his lips in a gentle kiss. "I love you, Anastasia. I don't want to lose you"

* * *

Elliot seemed to be the only one who caught onto what Christian and I had been doing in the bedroom. He wriggled his eyebrows at me with a playful smirk on his lips as I re-entered the living room fresh from my shower. Maybe everyone else knew but didn't say anything; they all had more important issues on their mind…Like the death of Elena Lincoln.

I quietly took a seat on one of the white square ottomans to the side of the room and listened to what everyone had to say. Carrick was the one doing the most speaking. He was advising everyone on what to do if the Detectives wanted to investigate Christian further.

I understood what he was worried about. Christian didn't shoot her which meant that they would never find forensic evidence that said otherwise. What Carrick was worried about was the detective's looking into Christian's life. It wouldn't take much for them to start asking questions about Grace's death.

The only time Christian spoke was when he was explaining his side of things.

"On Saturday Elena Lincoln was spotted at a grocery store in Vancouver. Then on the Monday morning I received word that she had used her credit card at a local hotel and rented a room. She had been quiet for weeks, and she knew I would be tracking her cards. She wanted me to come to Vancouver. I travelled up on Monday morning. I sent her a message to meet me. I didn't hear back from her until the Tuesday night-" His eyes glance up at me "-Which is why I had to extend my trip. Early on Wednesday morning I met with her. I threatened her to stay away. She told me that being a Dom was second nature to me and that one day Ana wouldn't be enough. She said that Ana was a threat to her and to me, and she needed to be taken care of. It made me angry and I told her that if she were to ever come near Ana, I would go to the police. I have enough evidence that she has been… _Abusing_ teenage boys"

I watched Mia's reaction from the side of the living room. A frown formed on her face when Christian mentioned the abuse of young boys. She had no idea how young Christian was when they started their relationship.

"So, she freaked out and offed herself" Elliot shrugs his shoulders.

"Elliot" Carrick chastised him "You don't have to be so crass about it"

"Dad, she freaked out. She knew that she had nowhere else to go. She was scared that Christian was going to tell the world how much of a fucking paedophile she was. The cops aren't idiots. They will figure out it was a suicide and then leave us alone" He says and then lets out a small laugh "Fuck, if Christian were to kill her, do you think he'd be so stupid and messy about it? My lil' bro is a lot of things, but stupid isn't one of them"

"Elliot…" Christian shakes his head.

"Look" He moves from behind the lounge and sits down beside his brother and wraps his arm around Christian's shoulders. "The way I see it is; the stupid bitch is dead and we have nothing to worry about. I am rejoicing in the news"

I couldn't listen to this anymore.

I heard my stomach rumble in hunger. The last thing I ate was a banana before work. I was starving. I stand from the ottoman, Christian goes to stand as well but I shake my head and tell him I am fine. I walk into our kitchen and search the fridge for something to eat. I could have salad, or I could heat up leftover chicken from last night. Neither of them sounded very appealing.

I close the fridge door and jump when I see a tall figure leaning over the kitchen counter.

I rest a hand on my racing heart "Jeez" I say "You scared the hell out of me"

"Sorry, Midge" Elliot says as he walks into my kitchen. He opens the fridge and pulls out a beer.

"What did you just call me?"

"Midge" He grins "Everyone around here has a nickname. Dad is old-man. Mia is Princess. Christian is Dumbass. You're now Midge"

It was hard to be angry at him with his kind blue eyes and dimpled cheeks. He reminded me of a playful, happy, mischievous, puppy.

"What if I don't like that name?"

"It's stuck now. Being short isn't the worst thing in the world. I remember Mia would always go crying to Mum because of how tall she was. She thought that no boys liked her because she was a foot taller than them in fifth grade. The truth was, no boys liked her because Christian and I scared them off. There was one time when I was in college and Christian was in his senior year. He overheard Mia's boyfriend talking about wanting to take her virginity-"

"Let me guess, he probably broke his arm and his jaw"

Elliot smiles "You know him well. I think it was his right arm that he broke, yes, it was his playing arm. The kid couldn't play football for the rest of the season because of it"

He downed his beer in one large gulp. He began to walk out of the kitchen but then turned to me once more. "Midge, how is Kate doing?"

"She is fine" I nod.

"You probably don't think much of me since I broke up with her over a text, but, I could never do it face-to-face and I don't want her involved in my family's bullshit" He says "I know you're close. I just want to know if she is okay"

"Do you want the truth?" He nods his head. "I have seen Kate be broken up with by a lot of guys, but I have never seen her take a break up this hard before. She loves you, Elliot. You can make up some honourable excuse about why you broke up with her, but at the end of the day, you were scared. You broke her heart because you were scared. So, no, she hasn't been okay-"

The apartment intercom that was connected to the front desk began to ring. The only time the front desk called was when we had an unexpected visitor or a package. It was rare for them to call us. The ringing of the intercom caused everyone in the open apartment to go silent.

I walked to the intercom and pressed the answer button.

"Hello?"

"Mrs. Rodriguez?"

"Yes"

"There is a Detective Oliver and Detective Roads here to see Mr. Grey"

My eyes darted to Christian who was quickly making his way towards me. His finger replaced mine on the call button and he spoke into the speaker "Let them in"

* * *

 **So, Christian didn't do it.**

 **And just because the bitch is dead, doesn't mean she is gone...**

 **Next chapter will be lighter with a surprise at the end. Can you guess what the surprise may be? I have been hinting at it...**

 **I need to be honest with my loyal readers who read and review every chapter. I am slowly loosing the energy to write this story. I know what needs to happen in each chapter, I have everything planned out, but lately it is a struggle to get anything written. I could sit in front of a computer for hours and only have 200 words written. That is why the chapters have been shorter. I love this story and I am not giving up when I am this close to the end, but I may need to take a little break.**

 **Lately I have been inspired to write another FSOG ff much different from this one. The idea wont go away and it is preventing me from writing this story. I am considering posting the new story just to get it out of my head.**

 **I know how frustrating it is when authors abandon a story and I will not do that to this one! There is only about five chapters left, it would be silly to abandon it now.**

 **Anyway, thankyou so much for reading! Please review and let me know what you think is going to happen next :)**


	26. Chapter 26

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **Thankyou so much for your very kind words of support. It definitely helped when it came to writing and gave me the motivation I needed. I am half-way through writing chapter 27 and also working on a future story.**

 **I had a lot of people worrying that I was abandoning the story, I promise that I am not. Like I said, there isn't many chapters left so it would be stupid of me to stop now.**

 **Anyway, on with the story...**

* * *

Chapter 26

Christian was meant to be the black sheep of the family. He was meant to be the screwed up one with problems. Everyone else was meant to have their life in order. Elliot should be settling down with a home, a wife, and maybe a few kids, just like he wanted. Mia should be in college or in Paris studying culinary arts, not partying and doing god-knows-what every weekend. His father should be thinking about retiring with his wife and taking things easy. So much had happened that they would never come back from. Their family would never be like it once was.

Christian sat at the end of the large bed that he shared with Ana. She was fast asleep and tangled in the sheets. Every now and then she would toss and turn. She would reach for Christian on his side of the bed but couldn't find him. It was early in the morning and Christian wasn't able to sleep. He had been laying wide awake in bed for hours. It wasn't like he wasn't tired, he was, but he couldn't stop thinking.

Only now it had hit him that Elena Lincoln was dead.

She is gone. A woman that Christian once considered a friend and once trusted was gone. He wasn't going to grieve her and cry over her, but he couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness. He also felt relief. She was gone, which meant she would never open her mouth and talk to the cops about Grace's death. The only thing that Christian had left to worry about was the Police that were investigating her death.

He thought back to when the Detectives arrived tonight. Christian tried to get a read on them to see what they wanted, but they weren't giving anything away. They had asked him where he was on Wednesday night and he answered truthfully.

"I was in my hotel room"

"Your hotel room in Vancouver?"

"Yes"

"Can you tell me what you were doing in Vancouver?"

"Working. I own multiple companies and factories in Canada. I make trips there every five or six months"

"Okay" Detective Oliver nods and continued to make notes on his notepad.

Christian tried to casually let his eyes glance down to the paper to see what he was writing, but Detective Roads stopped him by asking him another question.

"You were close with Ms. Lincoln; would you say that she was depressed or suicidal?"

"I wouldn't know. She was never someone who would open up and share her feelings with anyone. Honestly, it doesn't shock me that she would do something like this to herself. She wasn't a particularly happy woman"

"Did she have any enemies?"

"People tolerated her; I wouldn't say they liked her"

Detective Oliver's eyes glanced up over Christian's shoulder to Mia. She was standing behind him with her arms crossed against her blank tank top. "What about you?" He nods her way "Ms. Grey, it is our understanding that you too were close with Ms. Lincoln?"

"Yes" Mia said quietly "But, I haven't spoken to her in months"

"You're not here to talk to her" He stepped between them, crossing his arms against his chest to stop the officers from interrogating his sister "I don't understand why you're here at all, frankly. It is my understanding that Elena Lincoln shot herself"

"Yes, but it is our job to explore every avenue and get to the bottom of what happened that night. We can't rule out foul play"

That didn't make him feel any better.

Now it was two in the morning and he still couldn't sleep. He needed to go for a run and clear his head. He walked into his walk-in-wardrobe – the smallest one of the two – and grabbed a sweat shirt to cover his bare chest, socks, and sneakers. He returned to the bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed to begin getting dressed.

He heard a soft moan coming from Ana. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that she was starting to wake up. Her arms stretched out across the bed and her beautiful eyes slowly opened. "Christian…" She moaned "What're you doing?"

"Go back to sleep, Baby"

"It's so early…" She stretched her back and pushed the blankets off her body. She crawled down the length of the bed to Christian. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and rested her chin on his shoulder.

"Are you worrying about Elena?"

"No" He turns his head to look into her eyes "I am not worrying about her. I am worrying about my family and what is going to happen to them. So much has already happened. We're fucked up for life now"

"At least you're fucked up together"

That makes Christian smile. Ana raises herself up until she is on her knees. She wraps her hands around Christian's shoulders to massage him. Her gentle, soft, hands dug into his muscle. She automatically began to soothe him. He closed his eyes and relaxed into her touch.

"You have each other, Christian" She said as she continued to massage him "You're not alone in this and you shouldn't go through it alone. You have your father, your brother, your sister, me. Let's not forget Taylor…"

"I pay Taylor to be there for me. He doesn't count"

"Still, you have more people in your corner than most people do. You're all majorly fucked up together"

"Shouldn't you be telling me that everything is fine and that I shouldn't worry?"

Her chin returns to resting on Christian's shoulder "I should, but I would be lying if I said that. We should worry, but not at two in the morning. Come back to bed, Christian"

He shakes his head "I need to clear my head. You should go back to sleep, Baby" He says as he stands from the bed. "I am going to go for a run, I'll be home later"

He looks back to Ana and finds her kneeling on the bed pouting. "It's too dark to go running" She tells him as she begins to play with the strap of her blue satin negligee. She ran her finger under the thick strap and slowly moved it down her shoulder. She did the same to the other strap. "Come back to bed, Mr. Grey. I am lonely without you. You don't want me to be lonely, do you?"

The dress slipped off her body and pooled around her knees. "Oops…" She whispered. A naughty, wicked, seductive, smile spread over her lips. She let her finger run over her flat stomach and down between her legs. She was trying to seduce him and it was definitely working. There was no chance that he was going to go on his run now.

"You are a little vixen!" He growled before taking her face in his hands and kissing her.

He could never say no to her.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and lowered her onto the bed. Her hands roamed over his body, moving from his biceps up to his shoulders. Her hands on his body were always so gentle and soft, even when they were ripping at his clothes or his hair. Her hands moved to the hem of his sweat shirt and lifted it to reveal his toned stomach. Her fingers run over the muscle that hid there. Christian moved onto his knees between her legs and lifted his sweatshirt up above his head. He tossed it away.

His lips moved to her neck and she let out a soft moan. It was the kind of moan that made goose bumps rush over his skin. "Oh, Christian…" She really had no idea of the power that she had over him.

He wanted to worship her tonight. He wanted to show her just how much she meant to him and how grateful he was that she was still here with him. It would've been so easy for her to walk away from him after everything he had put her through. He kissed her neck and began to move down her body. His kissed her breasts and wrapped his lips around her nipple. Her back arched off the bed. He continued to kiss down her stomach. He lifted her thighs over her shoulders. He lowered his lips down to her clit. Her body jumped at the feeling.

"Oh…" She moaned. Her fingers brushed through his hair as he pleasured her. He looked up to see her eyes closed and a pleasant smile on her face. "…I have missed you, Christian Grey"

* * *

"What do you mean the report isn't ready!?"

I feel Christian's body brush past mine in the kitchen as he snapped at his poor employee. He sounded nothing like the Christian I had woken up with this morning. It was like he was two completely different men. There was CEO Christian Grey that was stoic and grumpy, and then there was my boyfriend Christian who was sweet and playful. It did make me sad to think that the rest of the world would never see this side of Christian. They would always think of him as the elusive, angry, grumpy, man.

"You've had five days to prepare the report. Five- _fucking_ -days. How could it not be ready? If the report isn't on my desk by midday then you'll be packing up your desk by the end of the day. Is that understood?"

He hung up the phone with a frustrated sigh. I smiled at him from my spot behind the counter. I was in the middle of peeling my banana. "Are you ready to get back to work?"

"We could play hooky?"

"Nope" I shake my head and throw the peel in the bin. I playfully smack Christian's toned and firm behind. He had a nicer butt than I did. "C'mon, Mr. Grey, we both have a job to do"

He reluctantly collected his briefcase and followed me to the elevator. The mirrored doors shut behind him. I looked at our reflection as we descended. He was dressed in a light grey suit with black Italian loafers. I was dressed in a black blouse that was tucked into my grey high-waisted pencil skirt. I had styled my hair in a side braid. For the first time ever, I didn't look out of place. I looked as if I fit standing by his side.

We stepped out of the elevator together and into the lobby. The middle aged man behind the front desk smiled and waved us over. There was a stack of mail for both Christian and I to sort through. Most of it was envelopes filled with junk and bills. At the bottom of the stack was an orange manila envelope that I assumed to be Christian's.

"Junk, junk, junk" Christian says as he looked through the envelopes.

I notice one of the envelopes is from the Seattle Children's Hospital. I quickly steal it from his hand and open it up. He doesn't care. Inside the envelope was a card addressed to Christian. It was an invitation to a charity ball that was being held next Friday.

"I am not going to it" Christian tells me as I look over the invitation.

"Why not? It's for charity, Christian"

"Yes" He steals the card away from me "And I'll donate a check to keep them happy…Unless you want to be my date for the evening?"

"Is that a good idea?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

Well…" I look around at our surroundings before whispering to him "We do have detectives breathing down our necks looking for answers on Elena. We should look as if we're mourning and grieving the loss of a dear friend. Not out partying and having a great time"

"We can't stop our lives because of her. I'll release a statement saying how shocked and saddened I am with the news of her death. My family and I will be expected to attend her funeral. I don't know who would organize it, though" He tells me "Besides, there is no forensic evidence linking me to her death. Yes, I went to Vancouver to see her but I never once visited her hotel room. They'll look for finger-prints on the gun and all they'll find is hers. Everything will die down soon and we'll be able to move on with our lives"

"How come even though she is dead she is still making our life hell? It's like she'll never go away." I groan in annoyance. "Can we make a deal that this weekend we cannot mutter her name or talk about her in any way?"

Christian smirks and agrees to my deal. He turns to the manila envelope that was sitting on the front desk. A frown formed on his forehead as he inspected it. "It's for you" He handed it to me. I turned over the large envelope to see my name and address on the back. I had no idea what it was or what it could be. I assumed it had something to do with work.

I pulled out the single white piece of paper inside.

 **Final Judgement and Decree of Divorce.**

I quickly read over the paperwork. I was shocked by what I was reading. On the paper were Jose and I's names with our signatures. There is the date of our marriage, as well as the date of our _divorce_. At the bottom of the page is the judge's signature.

 _Oh my god_.

These were my divorce papers.

I am officially divorced.

"Oh my god" I whisper. I look up into Christian's concerned eyes. "It's final. I am divorced"

He carefully takes the paper from my shaking hands and quickly reads it over. I watch as his eyes scan from one side of the paper to the other. He was probably ecstatic to see that I was divorced. When he looked up at me again, I could see the concern on his face.

"I shouldn't be shocked" I tell him "Is it wrong that I forgot that I was even married? I hadn't thought about Jose in ages. There has been so much going on with us that I just…I forgot. I should call him? Shouldn't I? He is probably upset and it's not like he has anyone to lean on. I should-"

"Ana" Christian gently grasps my bicep. His grey eyes stare into my blue ones "He isn't your problem. You shouldn't call him. You are now completely free of him" A small smile forms on his lips "You're a single woman, Ms. Steele"

I am twenty-three and divorced.

As a teenager, I swore to myself that I would never be like my mother. I never wanted to be married multiple times. Now look at me, I am barely twenty-four and I am already divorced to a man. I am not saddened about the end of my relationship with Jose. Maybe I should be? But, we have been over for a long time. I have well and truly moved on with Christian. We live together. We make love every morning and every night. We are constantly talking about marriage.

Not only have I moved on with another man, but I have moved on in life. I am now living in the city. I am working what I think is my dream job. I have a social life. I have a life. Yes, my life was now full of drama and sometimes over-the-top, but I wouldn't go back. It was just four months ago that I was desperately waiting for something more to happen, and it did.

I feel like a failure due to being only twenty-three and already divorced, but I am also happy that I am. It was horrible, but, leaving Jose was the best decision I ever made for myself. I am a much happier person today than I was this time last year.

"Are you okay, Ana?" Christian wraps an arm around me to try and comfort me. "If you need today off then I can call Faye and-"

"No!" I quickly shake my head "No, I need to go to work. I need the distraction. I am going to be fine, Christian. It has come as a shock to me, that's all"

"Ana, you can talk to me-"

I jump up onto my tippy toes and kiss him. I wrap my hands around his now smooth jaw. I need him to see that I am fine. Truthfully, I feel fine. I am shocked, but that's it. I don't need to be comforted or to take any time off work. I pull away from the kiss and smile up at him.

"I am fine" I tell him for the last time. "I need to get to work. I will see you tonight. Have a good day at work" I kiss him one last time before stepping away from him. "I love you"

"I love you, too"

I left the apartment building and began to walk towards SIP. The fresh air felt good when my mind was racing. I tried not to think about Jose or how he would be feeling today, like Christian said, he isn't my problem. I no longer have to spend time worrying about him and how he may be feeling. I had no idea if he was in therapy or if he was receiving help for his depression. I had no idea if he was seeing someone new – female or male. I had to hope that he was living a happier life and leave it at that. If I spend too much time thinking about him, I am only going to hold myself back.

As I am walking to Faye's favourite café I hear my phone ringing. I pull it out and I am happy to see my father's name on the screen. I hadn't heard much from him in the past month. Every now and then he would call to chat. We hadn't talked about Christian and I wasn't sure if he approved of our relationship.

"Hey, Daddy"

"Anastasia?" A woman's voice on the other end startled me. "I am sorry, this is Miranda"

"Oh" This was his girlfriend. They had been dating for close to six months but I had never met the woman.

"I am sorry, is this a bad time?"

"No…Ahh…Is something wrong?" I ask awkwardly

"No, nothing is wrong. I just wanted to let you know that your father and I are having a party on Sunday-"

My father was not the kind of man who had parties.

"-It's nothing big. We're just having a few people over at your father's place for a barbecue. We want to make the most of this nice weather before it goes away. Anyway, I wanted to invite you and your boyfriend…Christian, wasn't it?"

"Yes"

"Do you think you would be able to make it? I understand that you're both very busy with your jobs"

"We have nothing planned this weekend. I am sure we'll be able to make it"

I wasn't sure that Christian would want to. He wasn't a people-person, nor was he a party person. Plus, it wasn't like my father and Christian started out their relationship on great terms. I knew that one day Ray would accept Christian, because he had no reason not to. Christian spoiled me with love and affection. We may have only known each other for three months but he knew me better than Jose ever did. My father knew that.

* * *

I was grateful for work. It gave me the distraction I needed to take my mind off my divorce. I knew I needed to meet with Kate for lunch or after work drinks to talk to her about it. I needed to have a bitch-session with her and tell her everything that had happened over the past few days.

Faye gave me a list of things that needed to be done. She had a two hour meeting with many other heads of the company. They had this meeting every Monday and Friday, it always ended with Faye and Roach in an argument. I was amazed he hadn't fired her yet. I guess he knew how valuable she was to this company. I hadn't worked here long and I didn't have much experience when it came to publishing, but I truly believed that Faye could one day run this company.

After the meeting she asked me into her office.

"I need you to get in touch with the author of that fantasy story you showed me yesterday" She informs me. "Let's organize a meeting for some time next week"

I look down at Faye's schedule in my notebook. "How does Tuesday at one sound?"

She nods her head. I quickly make a note to schedule the meeting. "You know" She says "You were smart to research the fantasy craze. You should speak up more often, Ana. You'll never get anywhere if you're always silent and standing in the back"

"That's my job, though"

"It won't be forever. I'd give it a year before you're sitting at my desk…That's if the company survives, of course"

I quickly shake my head. "I don't want your job"

"Then what do you want?"

I thought about it for a moment. I wasn't sure what I wanted. I had wanted to work at a publishing house to gain experience and peruse my passion. Now that I was here, I wasn't sure what would happen next. Do I want to be a commissioning editor, like Faye? Do I want to be the president of the company, like Roach? Or do I want to remain an assistant?

"I am not sure what I want" I admit quietly "I haven't thought that far ahead"

"Well, what hobbies do you have?"

"I like to read…"

"Is that it?"

"I am not a very interesting person. I come to work. I go home. I read. I spend time with my boyfriend. I go to bed. I don't have any interesting or quirky hobbies"

"There must be something"

I think about it for a moment. It's not like I was into sports. I didn't enjoy running or cycling. I wasn't a crafty person. I always seemed to make a mess whenever I tried to do craft. I didn't enjoy fashion or makeup. I was boring.

I searched my mind for something that I enjoyed doing.

"I like to cook!" I quickly add "And I like to write"

"What do you write?"

"Just…stuff" I shrug my shoulders.

I could feel the blush of embarrassment creeping up my cheeks.

"What kind of _stuff_?" She continues to ask me "Do you write poetry, short-stories, diary entries? What do you write? C'mon, tell me!"

I really don't want to, but I know that she isn't going to let me go before I tell her.

"Whenever I have free time or nothing to do, I like to write stories. They're nothing special or amazing. It's something I enjoy doing for me"

"What kind of stories do you write?"

"Romance mainly" I shrug my shoulders "Why are you being so inquisitive? You've never shown this much interest in my life before"

"Because I want to read your stories" She tells me. "I know you have a passion for books, and you're a smart girl. I am curious to read what you've written. I mean, why bother writing something if no one is going to read it?"

"Because I write for fun, not because I want to be published. Besides, I don't have a full story written"

She smiles. "Ana, sweetie" She says in the condescending tone she always spoke in. I had become use to it by now. "Send in whatever you have. If it's crap, then we will never speak about it again. If it is any good then we could organize for you to become an editor, or even a ghost writer"

I hated the thought of anyone reading what I had written. It made me feel itchy and anxious. I only ever wrote for fun when I was bored. I use to do it a lot in high school since I didn't have many friends. Faye read and evaluated books for a living. This was her job. I shouldn't be so nervous for her to read what I had written.

I wasn't sure what my next move would be. Maybe I could be a ghost writer? But could I let other people take the credit for something that I had written?

"Okay" I give in "I'll send you a copy of one of my stories"

"Good" Faye grins "That's all, Ana"

As I leave her office, I take a deep breath of air. I could feel anxious butterflies fluttering around in my stomach. I sit down at my desk and look through my handbag for the black USB that I carried around with me. On the USB were all the stories that I had written over the past few years. I knew which one I wanted to send to Faye. It was one that I had been working on since meeting Christian. There were many parallels between the story and real life.

The story I had worked on was about a handsome politician named Alexander, seducing the young, innocent, married, intern, named Charlotte. I had only written six chapters and so far it was full of smut and steamy love scenes. I had been inspired by many real life events involving Christian and I.

I attach the documents to an email and my finger hovers over the send button.

I take another deep breath and quickly hit the send button. I close my emails and then log out of the computer. I throw my USB back into my handbag and stand from the table.

I need to get out of here.

I walk towards the entrance of the building and pull my phone out of my handbag. I find Christian's number to see if he wants to go to lunch. He was just about to enter a meeting and couldn't meet me for lunch. I then decided to call Kate. I waited and waited for her to pick up her hone but it went to message bank.

Kate was always connected to her phone. She wasn't working so I doubted that she was too busy to pick up her phone.

I enter the lobby of the building and find Sawyer sitting in one of the small armchair's by the door. The normal sized chair looked as if it were built for a child when Sawyer sat in it. He was flipping through a beauty magazine and scowling at the pictures inside.

"Ms. Steele" He quickly sat up when he saw me approaching.

"Would you mind driving me to Ms. Kavanagh's apartment, Sawyer?" I ask him.

"Of course not" He says "That is my job, Ma'am"

Sawyer escorted me to the waiting SUV in the parking lot of SIP. I had no idea how it got here or when it got here. I wouldn't be surprised if Christian had organized to have an endless supply of SUV's at his beck and call. As he drove me to Kate's apartment that was located on the other side of the city, I sent her a quick text.

I found it very strange that she didn't answer her phone.

She may have been busy doing something else, but I still wanted to check and make sure she was alright. I needed to gossip with her and talk to her about my divorce. She would know exactly what to say to make me smile and laugh about it. I knew Christian would be there if I wanted to talk to him about it, but sometimes a girl just needed her best friend.

Sawyer stopped the car outside of Kate's brick apartment complex. Her apartment was located just outside of the city centre. It was a beautiful apartment in a beautiful neighbourhood. I wasn't sure how she planned on keeping it, though. She had no job and no source of income. Maybe I could tell her about the job at SIP, but I had been planning on telling Mia about it.

Mia needed a job. She needed something to get out of bed for everything morning. Right now she was living at home with a father who paid her bills and a housekeeper to clean her room. She was out almost every night with friends. She obviously didn't like me that much, and she wasn't my little sister, but she was important to Christian – which made her important to me. I wanted to help her and look out for her.

"Thank you for the ride, Sawyer" I say as I reach for my handbag and wriggle across the seat to the door. "I am not sure how long I'll be. You should go grab a coffee or something to eat"

I notice the frown on his usually stoic face. He was staring at something out the window, and I wasn't sure what it was. I followed his line of sight and only saw cars parked on the street.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

"Mr. Grey is here"

"Why is Christian here?"

"No, Ma'am, Elliot Grey is here"

It was then that I noticed the black truck parked outside of the apartment building. On the side of the large truck, written in bold letters was **_Grey Construction_**.

 _Were they getting back together?_

Sawyer's eyes glanced my way "I think he and Ms. Kavanagh may be _busy_ …"

That was why Kate wasn't answering her phone. She was " _busy"_ with Elliot. He had been very inquisitive about her last night. I hoped that if they were getting back together, that he was telling her the truth about his family. Their relationship would fail again if he wasn't honest with her.

I was about to ask Sawyer to take me back to work again when the revolving door at the front of the building swung open. Out marched an irritated looking Elliot in his work gear. I quickly opened the door of the SUV and jumped out. I jogged down the footpath to catch up with him.

"Elliot!" I called out, but he ignored me.

He marched to his car and angrily threw open the door before climbing inside. He was angry about something.

 _Oh no, what happened?_

I pushed through the revolving door and hurried up the numerous flights of stairs. Her apartment wasn't very big so there was no elevator. By the time I reached the fifth floor my thighs were beginning to burn and I was out of breath.

Kate's apartment door was partly open.

"Kate? Are you home?" I called out as I slowly opened the door.

I saw her standing in the kitchen. She had her head in her hands and her elbows resting on the table. Her shoulders shook as she cried. They must've had a fight, or maybe Elliot was moving on with someone else and that upset her. Whatever it was, she was devastatingly upset.

I slowly approached her.

"What happened?" I asked gently.

She lifted her head at the sound of my voice. She looked pale and tired. She didn't look good. She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and from her cheeks. "When did you get here?"

"Just then. I called to ask if you wanted to go to lunch but you weren't picking up your phone. I was worried that something might be wrong. Why are you crying? What happened?"

"Just when I thought my life couldn't get any more fucked up…" She mumbled. "I have no job. Elliot and I aren't even together. My family isn't speaking to me since I quit my job. Now _this_ "

"Kate, what happened?"

She slides a little white stick across the table. I know what it is the moment it is in front of me. The two bright red lines only made it more obvious. My head snapped up in shock to look at Kate. I had so many questions and emotions. I wasn't sure if she wanted to be congratulated or consoled.

"I am pregnant, Ana"

* * *

 **Yes, she is pregnant. A few of you figured that out!**

 **Ana is finally divorced, so now she has no reason to say no to Christian's proposal...**

 **We also have a Christian and Ray meeting coming up in the next chapters. Do you think Ray will play nice with Christian?**

 **Just to let everyone know, here in Australia we are coming into the six week school holidays. That means I am going to be baby-sitting nieces and nephews every other day for the next six weeks and I have no idea how much time I will have to write.**

 **Anyway, thankyou so much for reading. Review and let me know what you think is going to happen next! :)**


	27. Chapter 27

**Thankyou to all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **Oops, it has been a minute since I updated. I apologize for it being so long but I have been super busy.**

 **Please mind any grammar or spelling mistakes. Now on with the story...**

* * *

Chapter 27

Christian Grey stared at his phone that was tucked beneath the conference desk. He was looking at numerous photos that he had taken in London. Whenever his work day became too stressful or he wanted to escape, he would pull out his phone and look at these pictures. His favourite had to be of Ana peacefully sleeping with the blankets only just covering her breasts. Her pouty lips were open and revealing just a hint of her beautiful smile. Her long hair was fanned out against the white bedsheets. She looked like an angel in the picture.

"Mr. Grey?"

He was brought back to reality by his scared, quivering employee who found it difficult to look Christian in the eye. The kid was young and fresh out of college. He was a brand new member of the PR team and was only hired because he had interned for one of the largest magazine tabloids in the world. He had an inside scoop and access to information that many of his peers didn't.

"What?"

"The press will want an interview with Ms. Rodriguez –Ahhh, I mean – Mrs. Rodriguez-"

"She'll be addressed as Ms. Steele" Christian gave him a firm look.

"Well, they will want to speak to either of you. Especially her. There will be a lot of questions thrown your way and-"

"And the event isn't about answering their questions. I will invite _Ms. Steele_ to the charity ball as my date for the evening. I will allow for photos, but that is it. I don't want any interviews or any reporters approaching us during the evening. This is Ms. Steele's introduction to public life. You can release a statement – or whatever it is that you do – confirming our relationship and leave it at that"

"Very well" One of the senior staff nodded "We also need a statement on Elena Lincoln"

"Tell them that I am very saddened by her apparent suicide and I offer my condolences to her loved ones. Also, add in a suicide hotline or some bullshit. I don't know. This is what I pay you for"

From the floor-to-ceiling glass windows that looked into the corridor, he could see his assistant Olivia approaching. She ran a hand over her sleek red bun and straightened her bun before opening the conference room door.

"Mr. Grey" She said with a pleasant smile on her face. She batted her eyelashes at Christian and gave him _fuck-me-eyes._ She was always looking at him in that way and he always ignored her. Not even in his most weakest moments had he been attracted to her. "Your brother is here to see you"

 _What was Elliot doing here?_

It was the middle of the day, he should be at work. Christian gave him a lot of shit for being too laid-back and lazy, but truthfully, Elliot was one of the hardest working individuals that Christian had ever met. He had struggled in school due to not being able to pay attention or follow basic instructions. His mother believed that a mild form of ADHD may have been the cause of that but he was never diagnosed with the condition. He worked hard to get into college and build his company. He had a lot of respect for his brother.

Christian pushed back his chair and stood from the table "If you'll excuse me"

He walked down the long corridor towards the entrance of his office. He could see his brother pacing back and forth at the end of the hall. His muddy work boots were leaving footprints on Christian's marble floor. His hand was brushing his blonde curls off his face. He looked scared, he also looked angry.

That wasn't a good combination.

"I need to talk to you. Right now" Elliot demanded.

Christian glanced down to his watch to check the time. "Can it wait fifty minutes? I have a meeting with legal-"

"No" Elliot opened the door to Christian's office and let himself inside. "God, I need a drink"

"Postpone my meeting with legal" He informed Andrea and Olivia. "Hold my calls"

He followed his brother into his office. Elliot was making himself comfortable at the bar. He chose Christian's fifty year bottle of whiskey that Christian saved for when important business associates visited. His brother obviously needed a drink and Christian wasn't going to stop him. Elliot raised his glass Christian's way, asking him if he wanted one. Christian shook his head.

"Do you want to tell me why you're here?" He asked as he leant his hip against his office desk.

Elliot sighs "Not really"

"Are you here to steal my liquor and waste my time?"

Elliot downed the rest of his Whiskey before he began to talk. "Kate called me this morning-"

"Great" Christian rolled his eyes "Are you getting back together with _her_?"

"Would you shut up and let me finish the story?" Elliot snapped at him. He wasn't in the mood for Christian's sarcasm. "She called me and she told me that she desperately needed me. Here I was thinking that is was a booty-call and I was about to get laid. It's been nearly two months. I hurried to her apartment to see her. I had the condoms ready to go-"

"Is this story about how you got laid?"

"No. When she told me that she desperately needed to see me, she meant it. She wanted to talk. She was shaking and upset. I was freaking out because I had no idea what was going on. I only went to see her in hopes of getting laid, not to have some deep, meaningful, conversation with her. She kept telling me that it wasn't planned and that she never wanted this to happen. Then she pulls out fucking multiple _positive_ pregnancy tests. Not just one, but fucking _five_! So, congratulations, Christian, you're going to be an uncle!"

This was not good and Christian knew it, but for whatever reason his first response was to laugh.

Elliot was a traditional, family man. He wanted a woman who wouldn't mind staying home to raise his children. He wanted the stereotypical housewife to come home to everyday. That was his dream. He wanted kids, he wanted a big family. He would make a great, loving, fun, dad. It was a shame that it had to be with Kate, though. She was not the woman that Elliot fantasied about. Yes, she may be good-looking, but she didn't hold the same traditional values that Elliot did.

And now he was stuck with her for the next eighteen years.

Christian burst out in a fit of laughter. It wasn't the response that Elliot had been expecting.

"What the fuck, this is serious, Christian. My ex-girlfriend – who I broke up with to keep her away from our family's drama – is now pregnant!"

"How do you know that it is your kid?" Christian asked him "You haven't been together for how long?"

"Like two months. The last time we had sex was your birthday weekend which was seven-or-eight weeks ago"

"Did you use protection?"

"Of course. I use a condom every time because she doesn't like to be on the pill. I think we went through a 12-pack that weekend and I ended up having to go to the store and get more. Obviously something went wrong with the condom"

"But, are you sure it is yours?"

"Yes!" He nods "You don't think I asked that question? I believe her when she tells me that she hasn't fucked anyone else. I can't explain it…but…I just know that it is mine"

No matter what Christian thought about Kate, he knew that his brother loved her.

"I don't know what the fuck I am meant to do" Elliot says "Should I tell her about Mum and Leila? I mean, I kind of have to now that she is having my kid"

"She deserves to know"

"But, she isn't Ana, Christian" Elliot moves to the lounge in Christian's office. "She isn't as understanding as Ana is. I am scared shitless to tell Kate the truth. I don't want her to think of me as a disgusting human being. I don't want her to be scared of me or our family"

Christian moved to sit down beside his brother. He wasn't very good at comforting people but he could tell that his brother needed it. His whole life had been turned upside down today. His whole world was going to change in seven months. There would be a little baby born into the family.

Christian thought about what it would be like to have a baby with Ana. The thought didn't scare him as much as he thought it would.

"You have to tell her the truth" Christian says "Whether you marry her or not, she needs to know. You know that I don't like her very much. She is high-maintenance and can be a bitch on the best of days, but, she is loyal, Elliot"

He took in what his brother told him. He slowly began to nod his head. Christian could see the wheels in his brain turning as he tried to figure out his next move.

"You really think I should tell her?"

Christian nods his head to answer him.

"Alright, I'll get an NDA organized and tell her. I have no idea how she is going to react. Fuck, I have to tell Dad that Kate is pregnant. Do you think he'll be angry?"

"No" Christian laughed "He will be ecstatic that you're finally going to settle down"

Elliot smirked "Who said I am settling down?"

"You're thirty-three and having a kid. I think now is as good a time as any to settle down"

A smile spread over Elliot's face. Christian could feel the tension leaving his body. His shoulders shook as he let out a small laugh. Just like Christian, he saw the humour in the situation. "I can't believe it" He said "I am going to be a Dad"

* * *

"I can't believe I am going to be a Mum"

Katherine Kavanagh never saw herself having children until she was at least thirty. She wasn't sure that she even wanted kids. Unlike most women, Kate could live a happy and fulfilling life without children. She had never been maternal or particularly fond of children. Even as a child, Kate hadn't been interested in playing house or playing with a baby-doll, much to her mother's dismay.

Over the past two months she had gone up a size in jeans and bras. She told herself that she had put on weight because she was binge-eating after her break up with Elliot. She told herself that she had missed her period – twice – because she was stressed over work. She was willing to tell herself anything to remain in denial. She didn't want to take a test or admit that she was pregnant. This morning she woke up with her head thrown over the toilet and knew it was time to take a test.

Elliot was going to make a good Dad. He was so affectionate and playful. He would be able to provide for their child in more ways than one. He was ready to be a Dad, but Kate wasn't ready to be a Mum. She is only twenty-four; she'll be twenty-five when the baby is born. She didn't have a job, she was cut off from her trust-fund, she didn't have the support of her family, and her relationship with the father of her child was in the dumps.

Now wasn't a good time to have a child.

"What am I going to do, Ana?" Kate asked as Ana handed her a mug of chamomile tea.

"Talk to Elliot" She says as she sat down beside her best-friend. "You can't ignore him forever"

"Why not?"

"Because you're having a child with him" Ana said with a smile on her face. She was secretly excited by the news of Kate's pregnancy. Of course she would be happy; she was one of the most maternal people that Kate knew. She was constantly taking care of other people; it was what made her happy. "Your life is already difficult enough; don't make it even harder by pushing Elliot away"

"I am not the one pushing him away. He walked out on me today. He freaked out and stormed out. What if he walks out on me again? How do I know that I can trust him?"

"Do you honestly believe that he would abandon you or your child?"

"No…" Kate admitted quietly.

Deep down she knew that Elliot wouldn't reject her or her child. He wanted a family more than anything else in the world. He was ready to move on from his bachelor, playboy, days. When he and Kate were together they would spend hours in bed discussing their future. He would tell her all about the dream house he would build for her. He wanted at least five dogs, which Kate was horrified by. They ended up settling on two dogs. One Labrador for Elliot and one French bulldog for Kate. They were always so happy and in love in those moments. Kate was able to see a domestic side to Elliot that no one else saw.

"He loves you. He told me himself last night" Ana continued. "And can you look me in the eyes and honestly tell me that you don't love him?"

"I do…" She whispers.

She was angry with him for dumping her and breaking her heart. She wasn't sure how long it would take for that anger to go away and for her to forgive him and move on. It didn't help that her hormones were all over the place right now. One minute she was crying, the next she was so angry that she wanted to hit something.

Kate let's out a long sigh. She pouted her lips and fell against Ana. She placed a pillow on Ana's lap and moved to rest her head there. Ana began to run her fingers through Kate's hair. It was helping her calm down and relax. Ana had that effect on people.

"You'll be okay" She said in her usual gentle, soothing voice. "You have me. You have Elliot. You have the Grey family. They are going to be delighted that a new baby is being born into the family. You're not alone in this, Kate"

Carrick Grey would be delighted at the news of her pregnancy. He – unlike Christian and Mia – had always accepted Kate as Elliot's girlfriend. He had treated her as part of the family. He would help them. She wasn't sure how her parents would react. Her father wouldn't be pleased, he already disliked Elliot. Her mother would probably start organizing a wedding before Kate started showing. It wouldn't look good on the Kavanagh family if a child out of wedlock were to be born into it.

She didn't want to think about them.

"Remember in college when life was so easy?" Kate looked up into Ana's wide, bright, blue eyes. "All we cared about was passing exams, socializing with friends, and partying. God, I miss those days"

"Yeah…"

Kate could see there was something wrong with Ana. The usual happy glint was missing from her eyes. Her Kate was having a breakdown over her life, she hadn't even asked how Ana was. It was true, she could be selfish sometimes.

"What's wrong with you?"

Ana shrugged her shoulders and tried to casually say "I am divorced"

Kate jumped up from where she was laying. "What? When did this happen?"

"I got the papers today"

A smile spread over Kate's face "You're a single woman again. If I wasn't knocked up I'd suggest we celebrate with vodka. I can't begin to imagine what it must feel like to be divorced…"

"I can't imagine what it must feel like to be pregnant" Ana quips "I don't feel any different, except, I feel like I failed. I am a month away from my twenty-fourth birthday and I am a divorcee. I sound just like my mother, something that I never wanted to happen to me"

"At least you're not knocked up with your ex's baby, oh, and unemployed"

Ana smiled and shook her head. She reached for her handbag and dug her hand through it. She pulled out her phone to check the time. "I have to get back to work" She says with a pout "Are you going to be okay?"

Kate nods her head "Yeah, I'll be fine"

Ana stood off the lounge. "Call me if you need me, okay"

"Okay"

After Ana left for work, Kate knew what she had to do. She couldn't postpone it or push it aside. She had to talk to Elliot and sort things out with him. She was angry that he got her hopes up and brought her a ring, only to dump her over a text message. She hated that she let herself get her hopes up and daydream about a life with him only to be let down. She wasn't sure if they would ever be together again, or how good of a mother she could be, but she wanted to try and give her child the best life that she could.

That meant she had to talk to Elliot.

As she started to dial his number, she heard a knock at the door. She opened the door to see Elliot's tall, broad, figure standing there. She may be upset with him, but she couldn't help but feel butterflies in her stomach when she looked at him.

"Hi" He said shyly "Can we talk?"

She pushed the door open to allow him inside.

* * *

I ran into SIP with just two minutes of my lunch break to spare. I was almost late. I had to pass on stopping for lunch in order to make it back on time. Christian would probably have a fit if he knew that I had missed lunch. One thing I had learnt about him since moving in with him was that he was a health-fanatic. Gone were the days of eating ice-cream for dinner and leftover pizza for breakfast.

I raced through the double glass door and past the front desk. "Is Faye in?" I asked the receptionist.

I was nervous to face Faye again. I had sent her a copy of one of my stories like she asked. I was scared to hear what she thought about it. Apart from teachers, no one had ever read what I wrote. I admired authors for what they did and respected their talent, but I never thought I could be one.

 _Did I want to be an author?_

My name was already so public. I was known as the girl who had an affair and slept with Christian Grey. I am a gold digging slut to the public's eye. Would I be taken seriously if I wanted to become a serious author or would people always see me as a whore?

"Nope, you just missed her. She is on her lunchbreak" She smiled to me. I headed towards the stairs but stopped when she called out to me. "Oh, before I forget, there was a package for you. I had it delivered to your desk"

 _A package for me?_ I wondered what it could be and who it could be from.

"Thanks" I go to walk away but stop myself. I have one more thing to talk to her about. "Hey, do you know what's going on with Roach's assistant? Do you know if they've hired anyone for the job?"

"No, I haven't heard anything. Why? Are you looking to switch jobs?" She asked "Because I would much rather Faye over Roach. She is definitely the lesser of two evils"

Ana laughed and shook her head "No, I am just asking for a friend"

I would definitely tell Mia about the job opening. I would have to ask Christian for her number and call her sometime over the weekend. She may say no, but it was worth telling her about. Of course if Mia said no, I could always tell Kate about the job. She needed one since she is having a baby.

Wow, I am still shocked that my best friend is pregnant. It felt like only yesterday that we were doing jello shots at college parties and going to class hungover. Now she is going to be a mum…

I walk upstairs to my desk that was located outside of Faye's office. As I approached I noticed there was a large bouquet of red roses sitting on the table. There was a white card attached to it. Right away I knew they were from Christian. My heartbeat picked up at the thought. I lifted the note that was attached to the roses and silently read it.

 _Anastasia,_

 _I haven't been able to stop thinking about you all day. You are always on my mind, Anastasia. I am finishing work early and picking you up at five. How does dinner at Saphir sound?_

 _Christian X._

I smiled at the note before me. I was excited to see him and go to dinner with him. I wanted to put this week behind us and end it on a good note. I also wanted to talk to him all about Kate and her baby. I was itching to tell someone the news. Wow, he was going to be an uncle. The thought of Christian caring and playing with his future niece or nephew, filled me with a sense of happiness. It also kind of turned me on. There was nothing sexier than a man who was good with children and I had no doubt Christian would be.

I pulled out my phone and sent a message to Christian to let him know I received his roses.

 _Thank you for the roses, they look perfect on my desk. I can't wait for dinner tonight and I can't wait for this weekend. Don't forget that you are mine to do whatever I want with, Christian Grey. And there are a lot of things that I want to do to you... X_

 _If you keep talking like that I will leave work now and pick you up._

 _I have a job to do, Mr. Grey. I also have something to ask you. What are your plans on Sunday?_

 _My plans include you and any flat surface we can find in our apartment. Why?_

 _My father and his girlfriend are having a party on Sunday and they invited us. I said you'd be there. Can you make it?_

 _Of course I can make it._

 _Good. I have to get back to work, baby. I'll see you tonight. Love you X._

With a smile I put my phone away into my handbag and put myself to work.

Faye returned to work later in the day. She had multiple meetings and looked frazzled when she entered the office again. She had a coffee in her hands. Her curly, frizzy hair was sticking out at all angles in her bun. Her cheeks looked flushed and there was a permanent scowl on her face. Even though she looked tired and exhausted, she still looked confident and in control.

She gave me a sharp look as she passed me and waved me into her office.

I quickly followed her in with my note pad. There were numerous calls that I had to fill her in on. She flopped down onto her chair and ran her manicured dark nails through her hair. I slipped inside her office and carefully shut the door behind me.

I began to read my notes "A Mr. Wellman called…or it may have been Wellten. I am not sure, he had an accent. He wanted to know if you are going to the charity gala on Friday night-"

"Give me the notepad" She held her hand out and I handed it to her. She threw it onto her desk. "I didn't call you here to talk about that. I wanted to talk to you about a publishing deal"

" _What_?"

"Sit" Faye nodded to one of the armchairs. I followed her command and sat down. "I read your story over my lunchbreak. Like you said, it wasn't perfect but there is potential. There is actually a lot of potential. If you were to be given more time to work on it and be paired up with an editor, I think that we could have a hit on our hands"

"Are you being serious right now?"

"When am I ever not serious?"

She is always serious.

Oh my god, she actually thinks that I could be an author. I had a hard enough time with Faye reading my book, let alone the rest of the world. My mother would be horrified if she read what I wrote. My father would have a heart attack. What about Christian? Would he be okay with our love-story being out there in the world?

"With the way things are going, I am not sure what will happen to this company. We have to wait and see what profit we make after the holiday season. If all things go well and we manage to survive into 2014, then I want your story on the shelves by May. For that to happen I want you to sign a publishing deal with us"

"I am not that good of a writer"

"You've only ever wrote for fun. If you were to take it seriously, I believe you could become an extremely successful author. You are smart and you are talented. I am not one who gives out compliments freely, so that should mean a lot to you"

I don't know if I should say yes. I feel sick just thinking about anyone reading the story.

I am so nervous that I am sweating. I fan my face with my hands. "God, today has been strange" I whispered.

Faye took another drink from her coffee and relaxed into her chair. "Why?"

"Well, I just found out that my best friend is pregnant, and also that I am officially divorced. Now I am being offered a publishing deal" I decided to leave the Elena part out of it.

"Divorced?" She frowned "I never knew you and Grey were married"

"We're not" I quickly shake my head. "I was married before I met him. I am surprised you didn't know, my name was dragged through the mud after the press found out about my ex-husband. I hear people whispering around the office about me. Apparently I am a whore because I fell in love with another man and cheated on my husband"

"Don't take it personally" Faye tells me "Apparently I am a selfish bitch because I chose to focus on my career rather than a family. Those were the exact words my mother said to me on my fortieth birthday. Everyone has an opinion on everything. Everyone is an expert. The minute you learn to just let it go and accept that people will always have something negative to say – life becomes so much easier"

"You were married?"

"Yep, for almost ten years. I don't blame him for leaving me, I am a difficult person and he wanted so much more from life. It's not a failure if you end up divorced, that's what I have learnt at least. We weren't happy together, but we are happy being apart. I don't call that a failure"

I shouldn't call myself a failure for being divorced.

"Now, what do you think about what I said?"

"I am not sure" I admit.

"What aren't you sure about? I am giving you the opportunity of a lifetime. You say you don't know what you want to do next in your life, maybe this is it?" Faye digs into her purse and pulls out a stack of papers. She placed them on the desk in front of me. I recognized the papers as a contract. "Here. Take a look at them and read them over the weekend. I want an answer on Monday, Ana. That's all"

I stand from her desk and exit her office with the contract in my hands. I felt my heart beating hard and fast against my chest as I looked at the papers. The thought of signing them scared me, it also excited me. I had no idea what my next career move would be, maybe this was it.

As I reach my desk, I notice Jerry Roach exiting his office at the end of the hall. A familiar man stepped out behind him and shook his hand.

"Christian?"

His head snapped up at the sound of my voice. He smiled when he saw me standing at the end of the hall. I placed the contract into my already full handbag and approached him.

"What're you doing here?" I asked him. I glanced down to the watch on my wrist and saw that it was only twenty-to-five. "I thought you said you wouldn't be here until five"

Christian turned to Roach and shook his hand one more time. "It was nice meeting you, Mr. Roach. If you'll excuse us"

"Of course"

He took my hand and led me down the hall to my desk. I wondered what Christian was doing here talking to Roach. Oh, that's right, he owns this company. I sometimes forgot that Christian was technically my boss. We never talked about SIP. It wouldn't be appropriate of us.

"I came to talk to Mr. Roach" He told me as he reached my desk. He eyed the roses that sat in a vase beside my computer. There was also a framed picture of Christian and I that was taken by paparazzi when we were in The Hamptons. It was of us in the surf, he had his arms wrapped around me as the waves crashed into my back. I liked the photo because of the huge smile on his face. He looked genuinely happy.

"Oh, so you're here for business?" I said with a playful smile "You've still got your CEO pants on"

"Yep" He glanced down to his watch "And they will remain on for another twenty minutes"

"So, it would be completely inappropriate of me to kiss you right now"

"Most definitely, Ms. Steele" He said before his lips gently pressed to mine in a soft, sweet kiss. He went to pull away, but I pulled him in for more. I wasn't ready to stop kissing him. When he did pull away, he whispered to me "You're in a good mood"

"I am happy"

* * *

 **For anyone interested in reading my next story, I will be posting the first chapter in the coming days. It is called _One Unexpected Night_ and it will be a _realistic_ teenage pregnancy love story. **

**Please review and let me know what you think of the chapter! :)**


	28. UPDATE

I bet you never thought you would hear from me again…

Okay, I am going to be real with you.

First of all, I am so very, very sorry that I haven't updated since January. That was never my plan, I really had wanted to finish the story, but I had no idea that this year would become so chaotic. I am really sorry for being a lousy FF writer. I _completely_ understand your frustrations.

The reason that I have been MIA for 7/8 months is because all my free time and energy went to feeding my anorexia. I have suffered from the illness for a few years, and I had no idea, but this year a lot of things happened in my personal life that trigged the illness and turned it into beast mode. I was in a very dark place in my life and that showed in my writing. It simply wasn't good. It was depressing and dark and nothing that you would want to read…

The good news though, is that I am in recovery now. It took my mother breaking down in tears and basically telling me "I am watching you die and I don't know how to help you" for me to realize that I needed help. I still have bad days but my eating disorder no longer has it grips around me like it once did. Anyone who has suffered from one knows that recovery is not overnight and it is a long process, but I am slowly getting better. (If you are someone who is suffering and wants to talk to someone about it without judgement, feel free to message me)

I am now mentally in a place that I feel as if I can start writing again and I have _SO_ many ideas floating around my head. I would love to write a story about anorexia and self-harm, using Ana and Christian as the characters. I have it planned out, but I know that a lot of young teenagers read FF and I don't want my story to be a manual for them to learn from. That's the one big thing holding me back.

As for 500K….I have no idea. That's the honest truth. I am going to mark this story as incomplete and one day I will hopefully be able to finish it but I don't want to make any more promises. I am mind-boggled when it comes to this story.

Once again, I am so sorry that I haven't updated in so long. It was never my intention. I do plan on writing more, so if you're still interested in whatever my crazy mind can come up with, stick around.

Lauren x


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